ALBATROSS 


A 

BLACKADONIS 


ALBERT  ROSS 


i 


g&RTRANl 
BOOK 


THE 

ALBATROSS  NOVELS 

By  ALBERT  ROSS 
23  Volumes 

May  be  had  wherever  books  are  sold  at  the  price  you 
paid  for  this  volume 

Black  Adonis,  A 
Garston  Bigamy,  The 
Her  Husband's  Friend 
His  Foster  Sister 
His  Private  Character 
In  Stella's  Shadow 
Love  at  Seventy 
Love  Gone  Astray 
Moulding  a  Maiden 
Naked  Truth,  The 
New  Sensation,  A 
Original  Sinner,  An 
Out  of  Wedlock 
Speaking  of  Ellen 
Stranger  Than  Fiction 
Sugar  Princess,  A 
That  Gay  Deceiver 
Their  Marriage  Bond 
Thou  Shalt  Not 
Thy  Neighbor's  Wife 
Why  I'm  Single 
Young  Fawcett's  Mabel 
Young  Miss  Giddy 

G.  W.  DILLINGHAM  CO. 
Publishers  ::  ::  New  York 


A  BLACK  ADONIS. 

BY   ALBERT   Ross. 


AUTHOR  OF 

OUT    o?   WEDLOCK,"    "SPEAKING    OF    ELLIM,' 

"THOU  SHALT   NOT,"  "WHY  I'M  SINGLE," 

"  IjOVE  AT  SEVENTY,"  ETC.,  ETC. 

"  You  set  /"  he  answered,  bitterly.  "Be- 
cause I  am  black  I  cannot  touch  the  hand  of 
a  woman  that  is  white.  And  yet  you  say 
the  Almighty  made  of  one  blood  all  nations 
tfthe  earth  '"—Page  212. 


NEW   YORK: 

owrnraHT,  mi,  tr  a.  w.  BIU.MMMUL 

G.   W.    Dillingham    Co.,   Publishes. 

\All  rights  r€serotd.\ 


CONTENTS, 


Chapter  Pag« 

I.  A  Rejected  Manuscript        .         .         .       i 
II.  "  Was  my  story  too  bold  ?"          .         .23 

III.  "  Her  feet  were  pink  "          .         .         .     35 

IV.  With  Titian  Tresses    .          ...     49 
V.  Studying  Miss  Millicent       .         .         -65 

VI.  "  How  the  women  stare  !"  .  .  •  79 
VII.  A  Dinner  at  Midlands  .  -93 

VIII.  Holding  Her  Hand  .  ...  99 

IX.  "Daisy,  my  darling!"  .  .  .no 

X.  "  Oh,  so  many,  many  maids  I"  .  .  121 

XI.  Archie  Pays  Attention  .  .  .  136 
XII.  Dining  at  Isaac's  ....  143 

XIII.  A  Question  of  Color    .         .         .        .155 

XIV.  "  Let  us  have  a  betrayal  "     .         .         .166 

XV.  The  Green-Eyed  Monster     .         .         .177 

XVI.  "  I've  had  such  luck  !"         ...  190 
XVII.  A  Burglar  in  the  House        .         .         .198 

XVIII.  Black  and  White  .        .        .         .204 

XIX.  "  Play  out  your  farce  "  .  .  .215 
XX.  Like  a  Stuck  Pig  ....  226 
XXI.  "  We  want  Millie  to  understand  "  .  238 


2061962 


Chapter 

XXII.  Where  Was  Daisy  ?       .  .  .  .246 

XXIII.  An  Awful  Night 354 

XXIV.  "  This  ends  it,  then  ?"    .  .  .  •  263 
XXV.  An  Undiscove'.able  Secret  .  .  .  275 

XXVI.  "  I  played,  and  I  lost  "  .  .  .  .28* 

XXVII.  Absolutely  Blameless   .  .  .  .29* 

XXVIII.  Trapping  a  W?!£           .  .  .  .301 

XXIX.  "  The  Greatest  Novel  "  .  .  3°9 


TO  MY  READERS. 


I  do  not  know  how  better  to  use  the  space  that 
the  printer  always  leaves  me  in  this  part  of  the  book 
than  to  redeem  the  promise  I  made  at  the  end  of  my 
last  novel,  and  tell  you  in  a  few  words  what  became 
of  Blanche  Brixton  Fantelli  and  her  husband. 

But,  do  you  really  need  to  be  told  ? 

Could  they  have  done  anything  else  than  live  in 
connubial  felicity,  after  the  man  had  proved  himself 
so  noble  and  the  woman  had  learned  to  appreciate 
him  at  his  true  worth  ? 

Well,  whether  they  could  or  not,  they  didn't. 
Blanche  is  the  happiest  of  wedded  wives.  She  still 
holds  to  her  theory  that  marriage  is  based  on  wrong 
principles,  and  that  the  contract  as  ordinarily  made 
is  frightfully  immoral  ;  but  she  says  if  all  men  were 
like  "  her  Jules  "  there  would  be  no  trouble. 

In  this  she  proves  herself  essentially  feminine.  She 
is  learning,  albeit  a  little  late,  that  man  was  not 
made  to  live  alone,  and  that  the  love  a  mother  feels 
for  her  child  is  not  the  only  one  that  brings  joy  to  a 
woman's  breast. 

Fantelli  does  not  claim  that  Blanche  is  his  prop- 
erty. He  is  her  lover  still,  even  though  he  has 


Vil  •„          TO   MT   READEB8. 

gained  the  law's  permission  to  be  her  master.  He 
recognizes  that  she  has  rights  in  herself  that  are  in- 
violable. This  is  why  they  live  together  so  content- 
edly. She  would  not  be  his  mate  on  any  other 
terms. 

If  it  is  not  the  ideal  existence,  it  is  very  near  it. 
As  near  as  a  man  and  woman  who  care  for  the 
world's  opinion  can  live  it  in  these  days. 

And  now,  with  heartfelt  thanks  for  the  continued 
favor  of  the  reading  public,  which  I  am  conscious  is. 
far  beyond  my  desert,  I  bid  a  temporary  farewell  to 
American  shores.  By  the  time  this  book  is  on  the 
shelves  of  the  dealers  I  shall  be  on  European  soil, 
there  to  remain,  I  trust,  for  the  better  part  of  a  year. 
Wherever  I  am,  my  thoughts  will  always  turn  to  you 
who  have  made  these  journeys  possible,  and  there  as 
here  my  pen  will  continue  devoted  to  your  service. 

ALBERT  ROSS. 
Cambridge,  Mass., 
June  i,  1895, 


A  BLACK  ADONIS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A   REJECTED   MANUSCRIPT. 

**A  letter  for  Mr.  Roseleaf,"  he  heard  his  landlady 
say  to  the  chambermaid.  And  he  was  quite  pre- 
pared to  hear  the  girl  reply,  in  a  tone  of  surprise  : 

"  For  Mr.  Roseleaf  !  This  is  the  first  letter  he 
has  had  since  he  came." 

The  young  man  referred  to  stood  just  within  his 
chamber  door,  waiting  with  some  anxiety  for  the 
letter  to  be  brought  to  him.  He  was  about  twenty 
years  of  age,  of  medium  height,  with  rather  dark 
complexion,  curling  hair  and  expressive  eyes,  and 
with  a  natural  delicacy  of  manner  that  made  him 
seem  almost  feminine  at  first  view. 

He  had  the  greatest  possible  interest  in  the  letter 
that  the  postman  had  just  brought,  but  he  was  far 
too  polite  to  disturb  the  landlady  or  her  servant, 
who  were  not  yet  through  with  it. 

"You  can  see  that  it  is  from  a  publishing  house." 

[91 


10  A  BLtOK  ADOITIf . 

commented  Mrs.  Ranning,  inspecting  the  envelope 
with  care.  "  It  is  from  Cutt  &  Slashem,  who  bring 
out  more  novels  than  any  other  firm  in  the  city.  I 
told  you  he  was  some  kind  of  a  writer.  Perhaps 
they  are  going  to  publish  a  book  for  him  !  If  they 
do  he  will  leave  us  for  finer  quarters.  Novelists 
make  a  mint  of  money,  I  have  heard.  We  must  do 
our  best  to  keep  him  as  long  as  we  can.  Be  very 
polite  to  him,  Nellie.  He  appears  to  be  an  excellent 
young  man." 

Shirley  Roseleaf  s  anxiety  to  get  possession  of  his 
letter  was  not  lessened  by  this  conversation.  It 
seemed  as  if  his  entire  future  hung  on  the  contents 
of  that  envelope  tarrying  so  long  in  Nellie's  hands. 
The  great  publishers,  Cutt  &  Slashem,  had  had  a 
manuscript  of  his  in  their  hands  for  nearly  a  fort- 
night. When  they  had  definitely  accepted  it,  his 
path  would  be  perfectly  clear.  If  they  rejected  it — 
but  he  had  not  got  so  far  as  that. 

The  manuscript  was  a  romance — a  romance  of 
love  !  Its  author  had  spent  a  great  deal  of  time 
upon  it.  He  had  rewritten  it  with  care,  and  finally 
made  a  neat  copy,  of  which  he  was  very  proud. 
Then  he  had  thought  a  long  time  over  the  question 
of  a  publishing  firm.  Cutt  &  Slashem  stood  at  the 
top  of  their  profession,  and  they  finally  received  the 
preference.  With  the  MSS.  Roseleaf  sent  a  pretty 
note,  in  which  lie  included  a  delicate  compliment  on 
their  success.  The  MSS.  and  the  note  were  arranged 
tastefully  in  a  neat  white  package  and  tied  with  pink 
twine. 

After  all  of  these  precautions  it  is  no  wonder  that 


A  WEOTBD    1CAOT80RXFT.  11 

the  novelist  felt  surprise  when  days  passed  and  no 
reply  was  sent  to  him.  But  never  at  any  time  was 
he  discouraged.  Had  they  intended  to  reject  the 
novel,  he  reasoned,  they  could  as  easily  have  done 
so  in  three  days  as  ten. 

He  pictured  the  members  of  the  firm  hugging 
themselves  over  their  good  fortune,  passing  the 
manuscript  from  one  to  the  other,  all  eager  for  a 
taste  of  such  a  marvelous  work.  He  did  not  think 
it  egotism  to  believe  they  did  not  get  stories  like 
that  every  day. 

His  thoughts  flew  rapidly  as  Nellie  slowly  climbed 
the  stairs.  Now  he  would  be  famous,  he  would  be 
courted,  he  would  be  envied  !  He  would  also  be 
very,  very  rich,  though  that  was  not  of  so  much 
account. 

As  Nellie  handed  him  the  letter  he  responded  to 
her  pleasant  smile  with  one  of  his  own,  and  even 
pressed  a  twenty-five  cent  piece  into  her  hand.  Then 
he  closed  his  door  behind  him,  bolting  it  in  his 
eagerness  to  be  alone.  The  morning  was  foggy,  and 
he  sank  into  a  chair  by  the  window,  the  only  part  of 
the  room  where  he  could  see  to  read  distinctly. 

There  was  an  attraction  about  the  envelope.  It 
was  light  buff  in  color,  bearing  the  address  of  Cutt 
&  Slashem  in  large  letter  on  one  side  of  the  front 
face,  besides  the  names  of  several  of  the  most  famous 
authors  whose  publishers  the  firm  had  the  happiness 
to  be. 

"  Shirley  Roseleaf  !"  It  would  not  look  so  badly 
in  print. 

So  lost  was  he  in   the  pleasant  pictures  which 


13  A  BLACK  ADONIS. 

these  thoughts  conjured  up  that  it  was  some 
minutes  before  he  tore  open  the  envelope.  Then  his 
astounded  eyes  rested  upon  these  lines  : 

"  Messrs.  Cutt  &  Slashem  regret  to  be  obliged  to  decline 
with  thanks  the  MSS.of  M.  Shirley  Roseleaf,  and  request  to 
be  informed  what  disposition  he  desires  made  of  the  same.** 

Roseleaf  read  this  dizzily.  For  some  moments  he 
could  not  understand  what  that  sentence  meant. 
"Obliged  to  decline"  was  plain  enough;  but  his 
confused  mind  found  some  grains  of  comfort  in  the 
request  of  the  firm  to  know  what  he  wished  done 
with  his  manuscript.  They  must,  he  reasoned,  con- 
sider it  of  value,  or  they  would  not  respond  in  that 
courteous  manner.  Still,  he  could  not  comprehend 
how  they  had  had  the  asininity  to  "decline"  it 
at  all. 

Were  they  unwilling  to  add  another  star  to  their 
galaxy  ? 

Could  they  actually  have  read  the  tale  ? 

A  firm  of  their  reputation,  too  ! 

When  Roseleaf  emerged  from  his  temporary  stupor 
it  was  into  a  state  of  great  indignation.  Why,  the 
men  were  fools  !  He  wished  heartily  he  had  never 
gone  to  them.  They  would  yet  see  the  day  when, 
with  tears  in  their  eyes,  they  would  regret  their  lack 
of  judgment.  His  first  act  should  be  to  go  to  their 
office  and  express  his  opinion  of  their  stupidity,  and 
then  he  would  take  his  MSS.  to  some  rival  house. 
And  never,  never  in  the  world — after  he  had  become 
famous,  and  when  every  publisher  on  both  sides  of 


A.   BBJEOTED    MANUSCRIPT.  13 

th«  Atlantic  were  besieging  him— never,  he  said, 
should  these  ignorant  fellows  get  a  scrap  of  his  writ- 
ing, not  even  if  they  offered  its  weight  in  gold  ! 

He  was  too  excited  for  delay,  and  donning  his  hat, 
he  took  his  way  with  all  speed  to  Cutt  &  Slashem's 
office.  At  that  instant  he  had  more  faith  in  his 
novel  than  ever.  As  he  walked  rapidly  along  he 
compared  it  with  some  of  the  stories  issued  by  the 
firm  that  had  rejected  it,  to  the  great  disadvantage 
of  the  latter. 

"  I  wish  to  see  Mr.  Cutt  or  Mr.  Slashem,"  he  said, 
imperiously,  as  he  entered  the  counting  room. 

"  Both  are  in,"  said  the  office  boy,  imperturbably, 
**  Which  will  you  have  ?'* 

"  I  will  see  them  together.** 

Had  they  been  tigers,  fresh  from  an  Indian  jungle, 
it  would  have  made  no  difference  to  him. 

The  boy  asked  for  his  card,  vanished  with  it, 
returned  and  bade  him  follow.  Up  a  flight  of  stairs 
they  went,  then  to  the  left,  then  to  the  right,  then 
across  a  little  hall.  A  door  with  the  name  of  the 
house  and  the  additional  word  *' Private  "  loomed 
before  them. 

"  Come  in  !'*  was  heard  in  response  to  the  knock 
of  the  office  boy. 

Roseleaf  entered,  something  slower  than  a  cannon 
ball,  and  yet  considerably  faster  than  a  snail.  The 
two  principal  members  of  the  firm  were  sitting 
together,  with  lighted  cigars  in  their  mouths,  exam- 
ining a  lot  of  paper  samples  that  lay  upon  a  table. 
They  did  no  more  at  first  than  glance  up  and  nod, 


14  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

not  having  finished  the  business  upon  which  they 
were  engaged. 

"  Is  it  any  better  than  the  last  ?"  asked  Mr.  Slashem, 
referring  to  the  sample  his  partner  was  examining. 

"  It's  just  as  good,  at  least,"  was  the  answer.  "  And 
an  eighth  of  a  cent  a  pound  less.  I  think  we  had  bet- 
ter order  five  hundred  reams." 

"  Five  hundred  reams,"  repeated  the  other,  slowly, 
making  a  memorandum  in  a  little  book  that  he  car- 
ried. "  And  the  other  lot  we'll  wait  about,  eh  ? 
Paper  is  not  very  steady.  It's  gone  off  a  sixteenth 
since  Thursday." 

This  conversation  only  served  to  infuriate  still  more 
the  visitor  who  stood  waiting  to  pour  out  his  wrath. 
Were  these  men  wasting  time  over  fractions  of  a  cent 
in  the  price  of  stock,  just  after  they  had  rejected  one 
of  the  greatest  romances  of  modern  times  ! 

With  the  precision  of  a  duplex  machine  both  part- 
ners finally  looked  up  from  the  table  at  the  young 
man. 

«'  Mr.  Shirley  Roseleaf  ?"  said  Mr.  Slashem,  inter- 
rogatively, glancing  at  the  card  that  the  office  boy 
had  brought. 

"  Yes,  sir  !"  was  the  sharp  and  disdainful  reply. 

"  We  need  nothing  in  your  line,"  interrupted  Mr. 
Cutt.  "  I  suppose  Mr.  Trimm  has  our  other  order 
well  under  way  ?" 

The  look  of  indignant  protest  that  appeared  in 
Roseleaf's  face  caused  Mr.  Slashem  to  speak. 

"This  is  not  Mr.  Roseberg,"  he  explained.  "  My 
partner  took  you  for  an  agent  of  our  bookbinder,"  he 
added. 


A  REJECTED  xAvrrtoBirr.  15 

The  novelist  thought  his  skin  would  burst. 

"I  am  quite  complimented,"  he  said,  in  an  icy 
tone.  "Let  me  introduce  myself.  I  am  the  author 
of '  Evelyn's  Faith/  " 

The  partners  consulted  each  other. 

"  The  similarity  of  names  confused  me,"  said  Mr. 
Cutt.  "Is  your  book  one  that  we  have  published  ?' 

Saints  and  angels  ! 

"It  is  one  that  was  sent  to  you  for  publication," 
replied  Roseleaf,  with  much  heat,  "and  has  been 
returned  this  morning — rejected!^ 

"Ah!"  said  Mr.  Cutt. 

**  We  have  nothing  to  do  with  that  department,* 
said  Mr.  Slashem,  coming  to  the  rescue.  "You 
should  see  Mr.  Gouger,  on  the  second  floor  above  ; 
though  if  he  has  rejected  your  story  a  visit  would  bo 
quite  useless.  He  never  decides  a  matter  without 
sufficient  reason." 

"  Oh,  dear,  no  !"  added  Mr.  Cutt,  feeling  again  of 
the  paper  samples. 

Shirley  Roseleaf  listened  with  wild  incredulity. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me,"  he  said,  "  that  you,  the 
members  of  the  firm  of  Cutt  &  Slashem,  have  rejected 
my  story  without  even  reading  it  ?" 

The  partners  glanced  at  each  other  again. 

"  We  never  read  books,"  said  Mr.  Cutt. 

« Never,"  said  Mr.  Slashem,  kindly.  "  We  have 
things  much  more  important  to  attend  to.  We  pay 
Mr.  Gouger  a  large  salary.  Why,  my  young  friend, 
there  are  probably  a  dozen  manuscripts  received  at 
our  office  every  week.  If  we  were  to  try  to  rtad 


16  J.  BLACK  AD02H8. 

them,  who  do  yon  think  would  attend  to  the  usential 
points  of  our  business  ?'* 

Roseleafs  contempt  for  the  concern  was  increasing 
at  lightning  speed.  He  did  not  care  to  mince  his 
words,  for  it  could  make  no  difference  now. 

"  I  should  imagine  that  the  selection  of  the  books 
you  are  to  print  would  be  at  least  as  important  as 
the  paper  you  are  to  use,"  he  retorted. 

Mr.  Cutt  looked  at  him  in  great  astonishment. 

"  You  are  much  mistaken,"  said  he. 

"  Entirely  mistaken,"  confirmed  Mr.  Slashem. 

The  author  had  no  desire  to  remain  longer,  as  it 
was  evident  he  was  losing  his  temper  to  no  purpose. 
If  it  was  Mr.  Gouger  who  had  rejected  his  work,  it 
was  Mr.  Gouger  that  he  must  see. 

Bowing  with  ironical  grace  to  the  examiners  of 
printing  paper,  he  took  leave  of  them,  and  mounted 
to  the  sanctum  of  the  man  who  he  had  been  told  was 
the  arbiter  of  his  fate.  A  girl  with  soiled  hands 
pointed  out  the  room,  for  there  was  nothing  to  indi- 
cate it  upon  the  dingy  panel  of  the  door ;  and 
presently  Roseleaf  stood  in  the  presence  of  the  indi- 
vidual he  believed  at  that  moment  his  worst  enemy. 

There  were  two  men  in  the  room.  One  of  them 
indicated  with  a  motion  of  his  hand  that  the  other 
was  the  one  wanted,  and  with  a  second  motion  that 
the  caller  might  be  seated.  Mr.  Gouger  was  partly 
hidden  behind  a  desk,  engaged  in  turning  over  a 
heap  of  manuscript,  and  it  appeared  from  the  man- 
ner of  his  companion  that  he  did  not  wish  to  be 
disturbed. 

Somewhat  cooled  down  by  this  state  of   affairs, 


A  REJECTED    1CAVU8GRXPT.  17 

the  young  novelist  took  the  chair  indicated  and 
waited  several  minutes. 

"  What  d — d  nonsense  they  are  sending  me  these 
days  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Gouger  at  last,  thrusting  the 
sheets  he  had  been  scanning  back  into  the  wrapper 
in  which  they  had  come,  without,  however,  raising 
his  eyes  from  his  desk.  "  Out  of  a  hundred  stories 
I  read,  not  three  are  fit  to  build  a  fire  with  !  This 
thing  is  written  by  a  girl  who  ought  to  take  a  term 
in  a  grammar  school.  She  has  no  more  idea  of 
syntax  than  a  lapdog.  Her  father  writes  that  he  is 
willing  to  pay  a  reasonable  sum  to  have  it  brought 
out.  Why,  Cutt  &  Slashem  couldn't  afford  to  put 
their  imprint  on  that  rot  for  fifty  thousand  doL 
lars  !" 

He  had  finished  saying  this  before  he  learned  that 
a  third  person  was  in  the  room.  Upon  making  this 
discovery  he  lowered  his  voice,  as  if  regretting  hav- 
ing exhibited  too  great  warmth  before  a  stranger. 
The  novelist  rose  and  handed  him  a  card,  and  as 
Mr.  Gouger  glanced  at  the  name  a  gleam  of  recogni- 
tion lit  up  his  face. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Roseleaf,"  he  said. 
"  I  had  half  a  notion  to  ask  you  to  call,  when  I  felt 
obliged  to  send  you  that  note  yesterday.  There  are 
several  things  I  would  like  to  say  to  you.  Archie, 
perhaps  you  would  let  us  have  the  room  for  a  fevf 
minutes." 

Tfie  last  remark  was  addressed  familiarly  to  the 
man  who  occupied  the  third  chair,  and  who  looked 
so  disheartened  at  the  prospect  of  having  to  rise 


18  A  BLACK 

therefrom  that  Roseleaf  hastened  to  express  a  hope 
that  he  would  not  do  so  on  his  account. 

"Very  well,"  said  Mr.  Gouger,  abruptly.  "You 
heard  what  I  said  about  this  copy  I  have  just  read, 
though  it  was  not  my  intention  that  you  should.  I 
supposed  I  was  talkingonly  to  Mr.  Weil,  who  is  not 
in  the  profession  and  does  not  expect  to  be.  Now, 
let  me  say  at  once,  Mr.  Roseleaf,  that  your  contribu- 
tion is  not  open  to  any  of  the  objections  I  have 
cited.  You  have  evidently  been  well  educated.  Your 
English  is  pure  and  forcible.  It  is  a  real  delight 
to  read  your  pages.  Every  line  shows  the  greatest 
care  in  construction.  I  did  with  your  story  what 
I  have  not  done  with  another  for  a  long  time — I  read 
it  through.  Why  then  did  I  reject  it  ?" 

The  question  was  too  great  for  the  one  most  inter- 
ested to  answer,  but  in  the  glow  of  pleasure  that  the 
compliment  brought  he  forgot  for  the  moment  his 
bitter  feelings. 

"  Possibly,"  he  suggested,  "  Cutt  &  Slashem  have 
more  novels  on  hand  than  they  feel  like  producing  at 
present." 

"  No,"  responded  Mr.  Gouger,  disposing  of  that 
theory  in  one  breath.  "  A  house  like  ours  would 
never  reject  a  really  desirable  manuscript.  If  you 
will  reflect  that  only  one  or  two  of  this  description 
are  produced  each  year  you  will  the  more  readily 
understand  me.  Your  story  has  a  cardinal  fault  for 
which  no  excellence  of  style  or  finish  can  compen* 
sate.  Shall  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  and  before  this  gen- 
tleman ?" 


A   KUEOTED    MANUSCRIPT.  19 

He  indicated  Mr.  Wefl  as  he  spoke.  Roseleaf's 
heart  sank.  For  the  first  time  he  felt  a  deadly  fear. 

"  Tell  me,  by  all  means,"  he  responded,  faintly. 

Mr.  Gouger's  face  bore  its  gentlest  expression  at 
that  moment.  He  was  taking  valuable  time,  time 
that  belonged  to  his  employers,  to  say  something 
that  must  temporarily  disappoint,  though  in  the  end 
it  might  benefit  his  hearer. 

"  Let  me  repeat,"  he  said,  "  that  your  work  is  well 
written,  and  that  I  have  read  it  with  the  greatest 
interest.  Its  fault — an  insuperable  one — is  that  it 
lacks  fidelity  to  nature.  Mr.  Roseleaf,  I  think  I  could 
gauge  your  past  life  with  tolerable  accuracy  merely 
from  what  that  manuscript  reveals." 

The  novelist  shook  his  head.  There  was  not  a  line 
of  autobiography  in  those  pages,  and  he  told  his 
critic  so. 

"  Oh,  I  understand,"  replied  Mr.  Gouger.  "  But 
this  I  have  learned  :  Your  life  has  been  marvelously 
colorless.  Yet,  in  spite  of  that,  you  have  undertaken 
to  write  of  things  of  which  you  know  nothing,  and 
about  which,  I  may  add,  you  have  made  very  poor 
guesses." 

Mr.  Weil,  leaning  back  in  his  chair,  began  to  show 
a  decided  interest.  Mr.  Roseleaf,  sitting  upright,  in 
an  attitude  of  strained  attention,  inquired  what  Mr. 
Gouger  meant. 

"  Well,  for  instance,  this,'*  responded  the  critic  : 
"You  attempt  to  depict  the  sensations  of  love, 
though  you  have  never  had  a  passion.  Can  you 
expect  to  know  how  it  feels  to  hold  a  beautiful  girl  in 
your  arms,  when  you  never  had  one  there  ?  You  put 


20  A   BLACK  ADONIS. 

words  of  temptation  into  the  mouth  of  your  villain 
which  no  real  scamp  would  think  of  using,  for  their 
only  effect  would  be  to  alarm  your  heroine.  You 
talk  of  a  planned  seduction  as  if  it  were  part  of  an 
oratorio.  And  you  make  your  hero  so  superlatively 
pure  and  sweet  that  no  woman  formed  of  flesh  and 
blood  could  endure  him  for  an  hour." 

The  color  mounted  to  Roseleaf's  face.  He  felt 
that  this  criticism  was  not  without  foundation.  But 
presently  he  rallied,  and  asked  if  it  were  necessary 
for  a  man  to  experience  every  sensation  before  he 
dared  write  about  them. 

"  Do  you  suppose,"  he  asked,  desperately,  **  that 
Jules  Verne  ever  traveled  sixty  thousand  leagues 
under  the  sea  or  made  a  journey  to  the  moon  ?" 

Mr.  Weil  could  not  help  uttering  a  little  laugh. 
Mr.  Gouger  struck  his  hands  together  and  clinched 
them. 

"  No,"  said  he.  "  But  he  could  have  written 
neither  of  those  wonderful  tales  without  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  sciences  of  which  they  treat." 

"  He  has  read,  and  I  have  read,"  responded  Rose- 
leaf.  "  What  is  the  difference  ?" 

"  He  has  studied,  and  you  have  not,"  retorted  the 
critic.  "  That  makes  all  the  difference  in  the  world. 
He  has  a  correct  idea  of  the  structure  of  the  moon 
and  what  should  be  found  in  the  unexplored  caverns 
of  the  ocean  ;  while  you,  in  total  ignorance,  have 
attempted  to  deal  in  a  science  to  which  these  are  the 
merest  bagatelles  !  You  know  as  little  of  the  tides 
that  control  the  heart  of  a  girl  as  you  do  of  the  per- 
sonal history  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jupiter !  Your 


A    REJECTED    MAiNUSCKU>T.  21 

powers  of  description  are  good ;  those  of  invention 
feeble.  Either  throw  yourself  into  a  love  affair,  till 
you  have  learned  it  root  and  branch,  or  never  again 
try  to  depict  one." 

Mr.  Archie  Weil  smiled  and  nodded,  as  if  he  en- 
tirely agreed  with  the  speaker. 

"  What  a  novel  /  could  make,  my  dear  fellow  !" 
he  exclaimed,  "  if  I  only  had  the  talent.  I  have  had 
experiences  enough,  but  I  could  no  more  write  them 
out  than  I  could  fly." 

"It  is  quite  as  well,"  was  the  response,  "your 
women  would  all  be  Messalinas  and  fiction  has  too 
many  now." 

"  Not  all  of  them,  Lawrence,"  was  the  quick  and 
meaning  reply. 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Gouger,  "  I  wish  heartily  you 
could  write.  The  world  is  famishing  for  a  real 
love  story,  based  on  modern  lines,  brought  up  to 
date.  I  tell  you,  there  has  been  nothing  satisfactory 
in  that  line  since  Goethe's  day." 

Mr.  Weil  suggested  Balzac  and  Sand. 

"  Why  don't  you  include  George  William  Rey- 
nolds ?"  inquired  Gouger,  with  a  sneer.  "  Neither 
of  them  wrote  until  they  were  depraved  by  contract 
with  humanity.  If  we  could  get  a  young  man  of 
true  literary  talent  to  see  life  and  write  of  it  as  he 
went  along,  what  might  we  not  secure  ?  But  I  have 
no  more  time  to  spare,  Mr.  Roseleaf.  I  was  sorry 
to  be  obliged  to  reject  your  story.  Some  day,  when 
you  have  seen  just  a  little  of  the  world,  begin  again 
on  the  lines  I  have  outlined,  and  come  here  with  the 
result." 


S3  A    BLACK    APOKIt. 

Quite  dispirited,  now  that  the  last  plank  had 
slipped  from  under  him,  the  novelist  walked  slowly 
down  the  stairs.  He  did  not  even  ask  for  his  manu- 
script. After  what  he  had  heard,  it  did  not  seem 
worth  carrying  to  his  lodgings.  His  plans  were 
shipwrecked.  Instead  of  the  fame  and  fortune  he 
had  hoped  for,  he  felt  the  most  bitter  disappoint- 
ment. All  his  bright  dreams  had  vanished. 

A  step  behind  him  quicker  than  his  own,  made 
him  aware  that  some  one  was  following  him,  and 
presently  a  voice  called  his  name.  It  was  Mr. 
Archie  Weil,  who  had  put  himself  to  unusual  exer- 
tion, and  required  some  seconds  to  recover  his 
breath  before  he  could  speak  further. 

"  I  want  you  to  come  over  to  my  hotel  and  have  a 
little  talk  with  me,"  he  said.  "  Gouger  has  inter- 
ested me  in  you  immensely.  I  believe,  as  he  says, 
that  you  have  the  making  of  a  distinguished  author, 
and  I  want  to  arrange  a  plan  by  which  you  can  carry 
out  his  scheme." 

Mr.  Roseleaf  stared  doubtfully  at  his  companion. 

"  What  scheme  ?"  he  said,  briefly. 

"  Why,  of  imparting  to  you  that  knowledge  of  the 
world  which  will  enable  you  to  draw  truthful  por- 
traits. You  have  the  art,  he  says,  the  talent,  the 
capacity — whatever  you  choose  to  call  it.  All  you 
lack  is  experience.  Given  that,  you  would  make 
a  reputation  second  to  none.  What  can  be  plainer 
than  that  you  should  acquire  the  thing  you  need 
without  delay  ?" 

"  The  '  thing  I  need*  ?"  repeated  Roseleaf,  dole- 
fully. 


"WAS  MY  BTOBT  TOO  BOLD?"  23 

Mr.  Weil  laughed,  delightfully. 

"  Yes  !"  he  explained.  "  What  you  need  is  a  friend 
able  to  interest  you,  to  begin  with.  Pardon  me  if  i 
say  I  may  be  described  by  that  phrase.  Come  to 
my  hotel  a  little  while  and  let  us  talk  it  over." 

It  was  not  an  opportunity  to  be  refused,  in  Rose- 
leaf's  depressed  condition,  and  the  two  men  walked 
together  to  the  Hoffman  House,  where  Mr.  Weil  at 
that  time  made  his  home. 


CHAPTER   II. 

*  WAS   MY    6TORY     TOO    BOLD  Y* 

"  Well,  Millie,  your  letter  has  come,"  said  Mr.  Wil- 
ton Fern,  as  he  entered  the  parlor  of  his  pleasant 
residence,  situated  about  twenty  miles  from  the 
limits  of  New  York  City.  "  Open  it  as  quick  as  you 
can,  and  learn  your  fate." 

His  daughter  started  nerrously  from  her  seat  near 
the  window,  where  she  had  been  spending  the  pre- 
vious hour  in  speculations  regarding  the  very  missive 
that  was  now  placed  in  her  hands.  She  was  a  hand- 
some girl,  neither  blonde  nor  brunette,  with  eyes  of 
hazel  gray  and  hair  of  that  color  that  moderns  call 
Titian  red.  She  took  the  envelope  that  her  father 
gave  her,  and  though  she  wanted  intensely  to  know 
the  contents  she  hesitated  to  open  it. 

"  Read  it,  Millie,"  smiled  Mr.  Fern.     "  Let  us  tear* 


34  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

whether  we  have  an  authoress  in  our  house  who  is 
destined  to  become  famous." 

But  this  remark  made  Miss  Millicent  less  willing 
than  before  to  open  the  letter  in  her  father's  pres- 
ence. She  slowly  left  the  room  without  answering 
and  did  not  break  the  seal  of  her  communication  till 
she  was  in  the  seclusion  of  her  chamber. 

And  it  was  quite  a  while,  even  then,  before  she 
summoned  the  necessary  courage.  Some  days  pre- 
vious she  had  sent  a  MSS.  to  the  great  publishing 
house  of  Cutt  &  Slashem.  The  writing  had  taken 
up  the  best  of  her  time  for  a  year.  She  had  high 
hopes  that  it  was  destined  to  lay  the  foundation 
of  an  artistic  success.  Her  plot  was  novel,  not 
to  say  startling.  It  was  entirely  out  of  the  con- 
ventional order.  It  would  be  certain  to  arouse 
talk  and  provoke  comment,  if  it  got  into  print ; 
and  to  make  sure  that  it  would  get  into  print  she 
had  persuaded  her  father  to  write  a  little  note, 
which  she  enclosed  with  the  MSS.,  saying  that 
he  would  pay  a  cash  bonus,  if  the  firm  demanded  it, 
to  guarantee  them  against  possible  loss. 

With  this  note  in  her  mind,  Miss  Millicent  had 
felt  little  doubt  that  her  story  would  be  accepted 
and  printed.  She  only  wondered  how  warmly  they 
would  praise  her  work.  It  was  not  enough  to  have 
them  print  it ;  she  wanted  something  to  justify  her 
in  saying  to  her  father,  "  There,  you  see  I  was  not 
wrong  after  all  in  thinking  I  could  have  a  literary 
career  r* 

At  last  the  enrelope  was  removed,  and  the  girl's 
astonished  eyes  lit  upon  this  cold,  dry  statement : 


"WAS   MY    STORY   TOO   BOL»  ?*  25 

"Mews.  Cutt  &  Slashem  regret  to  be  obliged  to  decline 
With  thanks  the  MSS.  of  Miss  M.  Fern,  and  request  to  be 
informed  what  disposition  she  desires  made  of  the 
same.** 

Millicent  felt  a  ringing  in  her  ears.  Her  hands 
grew  clammy.  A  dull  pain  pressed  on  her  forehead. 
She  felt  a  faintness,  a  sinking  at  the  heart.  Was  it 
possible  she  had  read  aright  ?  Rejected,  in  this 
cruel  way,  without  even  a  reference  to  her  father's 
offer  !  It  was  atrocious,  and,  girl-like,  she  burst  into 
a  spasm  of  weeping. 

How  could  she  ever  face  her  father?  The  sacri- 
fices she  had  made  came  back  to  her,  sacrifices  of 
which  she  had  thought  little  at  the  time,  but  which 
now  seemed  gigantic.  There  had  been  nights  when 
she  had  not  gone  to  bed  till  three,  other  nights  when 
she  had  been  too  full  of  her  subject  to  sleep  and  had 
risen  in  the  small  hours  to  finish  some  particularly 
interesting  chapter.  Twelve  hundred  pages  there 
were  in  all,  note  size,  in  her  large,  round,  almost 
masculine  hand.  And  this  time  was  all  lost !  She 
had  mistaken  her  vocation.  The  greatest  publishing 
house  in  the  country  had  decided  against  her. 

Gradually  she  dried  her  eyes.  It  would  do  no 
good  to  weep.  She  read  the  curt  answer  that  had 
come  in  the  mail,  a  dozen  times.  Why  could  not 
the  firm  have  sent  her  a  reason,  an  excuse  that 
meant  something  ?  She  wanted  to  know  wherein 
her  fault  lay.  It  might  be  possible  to  correct  it. 
Perhaps  the  state  of  business  was  to  blame.  The 
more  she  thought,  the  more  determined  she  grew  to 


t6  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

investigate  this  strange  affair,  and  within  an  hour 
she  had  donned  her  street  clothes  and  started,  with- 
out saying  anything  to  the  rest  of  the  household  of 
her  intention,  for  the  office  of  Cutt  &  Slashem  in  the 
city. 

She  knew  that  each  large  concern  had  one  or  more 
"readers,"  on  whose  judgment  they  relied  in  such 
matters.  She,  therefore,  paused  only  long  enough 
at  the  counting-room  to  get  directed  to  Mr.  Gouger. 
Her  knock  on  the  critic's  door  brought  forth  a  loud 
"  Come  in,"  and  as  she  entered  she  saw  two  men 
standing  with  hats  in  their  hand,  as  if  about  to  take 
their  departure. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  she  said,  "but  I  wish  to  see 
Mr.  Gouger." 

"  That  is  my  name,"  responded  one  of  the  men, 
stepping  forward. 

"I  arn  Miss  Fern." 

Mr.  Gouger  did  not  seem  very  glad  to  hear  it. 
The  hour  of  one  had  just  struck,  and  he  was  about 
to  go  to  his  lunch.  He  recognized  the  girl's  name, 
as  that  of  the  author  of  the  MSS.  he  had  criticized 
so  severely  to  his  friend,  Weil,  who  was,  by-the-way, 
the  third  person  in  the  room  at  this  moment.  Had 
she  sent  up  her  card,  as  is  usual  with  women,  he 
would  have  avoided  seeing  her  at  any  hazard. 

Mr.  Weil  took  a  long  survey  of  the  young  lady, 
and  then  retired  to  the  vicinity  of  the  front  windows. 
He  pretended  to  interest  himself  in  the  rush  of 
traffic  that  was  going  on  in  the  street  below,  but  he 
missed  nothing  of  what  was  said,  and  stole  from 


"  WjLS  MT    «TOBT  TOO 

time  to  time  a  glance  at  his  two  companions,  par* 
ticularly  the  younger  one. 

'*  A  mighty  pretty  girl,"  was  his  mental  comment. 
*  I  hope  Lawrence  isn't  going  to  be  nasty  with  her." 

Mr.  Gouger  motioned  Miss  Fern  rather  stiffly  to  a 
seat. 

"I  do  not  wish  to  detain  you,"  she  said,  with 
feminine  inconsistency,  as  she  accepted  it.  "  I  only 
want  to  know,  if  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to  tell  me, 
what  is  the  trouble  with  my  story." 

The  critic  was  pleased  at  one  thing.  Miss  Fern's 
voice  was  reasonably  clear.  She  had  finished  her 
weeping  at  home.  There  was  to  be  no  scene,  some- 
thing he  dreaded,  and  in  the  course  of  his  connection 
with  this  house  he  had  experienced  scores  of  them. 
He  inspected  his  caller  critically  in  the  few  seconds 
that  elapsed  while  she  was  asking  this  question,  and 
when  she  paused  he  decided  to  answer  her  with  as 
much  of  the  truth  as  he  dared  use. 

"  The  fact  is,"  he  began,  "  a  firm  like  ours  is  unable 
to  use  more  than  one  novel  out  of  fifty  that  is 
submitted  to  it.  Of  our  friends  who  send  us  manu- 
scripts, the  vast  majority  must,  therefore,  be  dis- 
appointed. Now,  your  story — shall  I  be  frank  ?" 

"By  all  means,"  answered  Miss  Fern. 

"  Your  story,  though  written  with  spirit  and 
power,  needs  a  great  deal  of  revision  from  a — from 
a  rhetorical  standpoint.  It  is,  in  fact,  carelessly  put 
together.  That  is  a  cardinal  fault  in  a  literary  pro- 
duction, and  one  for  which  no  amount  of  talent,  or 
even  of  genius,  can  compensate." 

The  girl  listened  with  deep  interest.     She  tried  to 


98  A  BLACK  ABMH1. 

think  where  the  blemishes  alluded  to  could  be,  for 
she  had  read  the  story  twenty  times.  To  say  noth- 
ing of  several  girl  friends,  who  had  listened  with 
evident  wonder  and  delight,  to  various  parts  of  the 
tale,  as  it  progressed. 

**  If  that  is  true,"  answered  Miss  Fern,  slowly — , 
"could  not  the  trouble  be  remedied  by  sending  the 
MSS.  to  some  very  competent  person  and  having  the 
errors  made  right  ?** 

Mr.  Gouger  smiled. 

11  Hardly,"  he  said.  "A  novel  Is  like  a  painting. 
The  ensemble — do  you  understand  ? — is  the  thing. 
Can  you  conceive  a  painting  being  'done  over'? 
Your  book  would  lose  its  quality  if  subjected  to 
that  process." 

A  look  of  discouragement  crossed  the  features  of 
the  young  woman. 

"Of  course,  you  know  best,"  she  stammered. 
"  What  would  you  advise  me — try  again  ?" 

Mr.  Gouger  raised  both  his  hands. 

"  It  is  difficult  to  say,  in  such  a  case,"  he  replied. 
"  But — if  you  want  my  best  opinion — " 

"That  is  just  what  I  want,"  said  the  girl,  with  ill- 
concealed  impatience. 

"You  are  not  dependent  upon  your  exertions,  I 
suppose,  for  a  living  ?" 

Millicent  shook  her  head,  almost  sorry  at  the 
moment  that  she  could  not  reply  in  the  affirmative. 

"  Then — I  should  give  up  the  idea  of  being  an 
authoress." 

Thb  was  very  unpalatable  medicine,  and  the  critic 


MY  STORY    TOO   BOLD  Y*  29 


realized  it  as  he  looked  at  the  sombre  face  before 
him. 

"  Is  your  rejection  of  my  story  based  at  all,"  asked 
Miss  Fern,  after  a  pause,  "on  the  —  boldness  of  its 
subject  ?" 

Mr.  Gouger  smiled  again. 

"We  publish  the  works  of  Hall  Caine  and  George 
Moore,"  he  said.  "  I  should  not  consider  your  story 
overbold,  if  there  was  nothing  else  against  it.  It  is 
a  wonder  to  me,  and  always  will  be,  why  such  young 
girls  as  you  choose  risqut  themes,  but  if  the  work  is 
well  done  the  public  will  pay  for  it." 

There  was  a  slight  blush  on  Miss  Fern's  face,  partly 
at  the  insinuation  and  partly  at  the  adverse  criticism 
that  had  crept  thoughtlessly  into  the  sentence. 

"  For  my  part,"  she  explained,  "  I  wanted  to  write 
something  that  would  attract  attention  —  that  would 
put  my  name  prominently  before  the  public  and 
keep  it  there.  The  girls  I  read  it  to  thought  the 
scenes  just  lovely,  though  some  said  perhaps  their 
mothers  would  not  feel  that  way.  And  I  told 
them  that  the  mothers  of  to-day  were  very  old- 
fashioned,  and  that  the  public  taste  was  changing 
rapidly.  If  the  story  is  too  bold,  there  are  things  I 
could  cut  out  of  it,  but  if  you  say  that  would  make 
no  difference,  I  would  rather  let  them  stand.  I 
intend  to  try  some  other  concern  before  I  give 
up." 

Mr.  Archie  Weil  had  abandoned  all  pretence  of 
looking  out  the  window.  He  stood  with  his  eyes 
fastened  on  the  pretty  girl,  as  she  made  these  state- 
ments in  such  a  matter-of-fact  way.  He  wondered 


30  A    BLACK    ADONIS. 

what  the  dickens  the  story  was  about,  and  made  up 
his  mind  that  he  would  try  to  get  possession  of  it. 

"All  the  same,"  responded  Mr.  Gouger,  who  had 
apparently  forgotten  his  lunch  in  his  growing 
interest  in  the  conversation,  "I  don't  see  where  girls 
like  you  obtain  such  an  intimate  knowledge  of  things. 
You  are  not  over  twenty — excuse  me,  I  am  old 
enough  to  tell  you  this  without  offence.  It  is  not  you 
alone,  but  a  hundred  others  who  have  made  me 
ask  myself  this  question.  As  soon  as  the  modern 
girl  gets  a  bottle  of  ink  and  a  pen  and  begins 
to  let  her  thoughts  flow  over  paper,  it  transpires 
that  she  knows  everything — more  than  everything, 
almost.  Why,  I  was  twenty-five  before  I  was  as 
wise  as  the  heroine  of  sixteen,  in  this  story  of 
yours  !" 

Miss  Fern  reddened  again,  all  the  more  because 
she  had  glanced  up  and  encountered  the  bright  eyes 
of  Mr.  Weil  fixed  upon  her. 

*'  Why,  Archie,"  pursued  the  literary  man— he 
turned  toward  Mr.  Weil — '*  you  remember  Lelia 
Dani6,  you  have  seen  her  here.  Five  or  six  years 
ago  I  got  a  letter  from  that  young  girl's  mother 
asking  me  to  come  to  their  residence  and  hear  a 
story  she  had  written.  It  was  her  first  one,  and  the 
child  was  not  a  day  over  seventeen.  I  couldn't 
believe  it  when  she  came  into  the  room,  with  her 
hair  tumbled  about  her  shoulders,  and  began  to  read 
to  me  the  first  chapter  of'Zaros.'  'Did  she  write 
that?'  I  asked  her  mother,  incredulously.  'Cer- 
tainly,' she  replied.  *  Without  aid  from  any  one  ?' 
•  Absolutely  alone.'  My  hair  stood  on  end.  I  could 


"  WA.8   MT    STORY    TOO  BOLD  ¥*  31 

not  keep  it  down  for  the  next  week  with  a  brush. 
You  know  the  story.  We  printed  it,  and  i>  sold 
well,  and  that  is  all  that  C.  &  S.  cared  about  it ;  but 
I  never  understood  how  that  infant  could  conceive 
it.  No  more  than  I  can  understand  your  ability  to 
write  this  story  of  yours,  Miss  Fern,"  he  added, 
pointedly. 

The  young  woman  bridled  a  little. 

"  It  does  not  matter  much,  if  you  are  not  going  to 
print  it,"  she  said,  raising  her  eyes  to  his. 

He  bowed  low  to  express  whatever  apology  might 
be  necessary. 

"  I  would  have  accepted  it  if  I  could,"  he  said. 
"  My  entire  life  is  spent  in  reading  manuscripts  in 
the  hope  of  discovering  one  that  will  make  a  hit  with 
the  public  to  whom  we  cater.  When  successful  I 
am  as  pleased  as  a  South  African  who  fishes  a  dia- 
mond of  the  first  water  out  of  the  mine.  Your  story, 
Miss  Fern,  shows  decided  talent.  You  have  a 
greater  knowledge  of  some  of  the  important  things 
of  life,  I  will  wager,  than  your  grandmother  had 
at  eighty,  if  she  lived  so  long.  As  I  am  obliged  to 
go  now,  let  me  add,  without  mincing  matters,  that 
you  are  very  deficient  in  English  grammar,  and  that 
nothing  you  can  write  will  be  acceptable  to  any 
first-class  house  until  that  fault  is  remedied.  Are 
you  ready,  Archie  ?" 

Mr.  Weil  felt  indignant.  He  could  not  have 
spoken  to  any  girl  as  pretty  as  this  one  in  such 
language,  and  he  thought  it  quite  inexcusable  on 
the  part  of  his  friend  to  do  so.  Mr.  Gouger,  though 
feeling  that  itwas  best  to  use  little  circumlocution, 


52  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

had  not  meant  to  wound  his  caller.  But  her  coun- 
tenance showed  that  he  had  wounded  her,  and  the 
natural  gallantry  of  his  younger  companion  came  to 
the  rescue. 

"  I  am  not  ready  yet/'  said  Mr.  Weil,  telegraphing 
at  the  same  time  a  series  of  signals  with  his  eyes.  "  I 
want  a  few  minutes'  talk  with  Miss  Fern,  if  you  will 
introduce  me.  I  think  I  can  say  something  she  witt 
like  to  hear." 

Mr.  Gouger,  who  now  stood  in  such  a  position 
that  Miss  Fern  could  not  see  him,  shook  his  head  to 
imply  that  he  did  not  fancy  this  arrangement ;  but 
he  ended  by  saying,  "  Very  well."  He  then  abruptly 
made  the  presentation,  put  on  his  hat,  said  good-by, 
and  vanished. 

Miss  Millicent,  who  had  risen,  turned  with  an  air 
of  puzzled  inquiry  toward  Mr.  Weil. 

"  Be  seated  again,  for  a  moment,"  he  said,  politely. 
"  I  want  your  permission  to  read  your  story." 

"Why,  I  don't  know,"  she  answered.  "Are  you 
one  of  the  employes  of  Cutt  &  Slashem  ?" 

He  smilingly  denied  the  imputation. 

"  I  have  not  that  felicity,"  he  added,  "  but  I  am 
much  interested  in  things  literary,  and  have  a  rather 
wide  acquaintance  in  this  line  of  business.  If  I 
could  be  allowed  to  read  your  MSS.  perhaps  I  should 
form  a  milder  opinion  of  its  faults  than  my  unbend- 
ing friend.  And  in  that  case  a  word  from  me,  to 
another  house,  would  certainly  do  you  no  harm." 

A  brighter  light  came  into  Miss  Millicent's  eyes. 

"I  shall  be  only  too  glad  to  have  you  read  it,"  she 
answered.  "  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  I  have  wasted 


"  WAS  MT   8TOBY  TOO  BOLD  ?"  33 

almost  a  year  in  something  entirely  worthless.  You 
may  take  it  with  pleasure." 

Mr.  Weil  went  to  Mr.  Gouger's  desk,  from  which 
he  soon  came  with  the  parcel  in  question.  He  un- 
tied the  string  and  for  a  moment  his  gaze  rested  on 
the  handwriting. 

"  Do  you  live  far  from  here  ?"  he  began  ;  and  then 
added,  as  he  noticed  the  address  on  an  enclosed 
card,  "  Ah,  I  see  !  At  Midlands." 

She  explained  herself  rather  more  to  him,  giving 
the  full  address  of  her  father,  and  some  particulars 
about  the  manner  in  which  she  had  been  drawn  into 
attempting  literary  work.  He  listened  intently,  all 
the  time  engaged  in  rapid  thought. 

"  The  best  way  for  me  to  get  a  thoroughly  correct 
impression  of  this  novel,"  he  said,  when  she  came  to 
a  pause,  "  is  to  hear  you  read  it  aloud.  In  that  man- 
ner," he  added,  as  he  saw  that  she  was  about  to  in- 
terrupt, "  a  hundred  meanings  would  come  to  the 
surface  that  a  mere  inspection  of  the  pages  might  fail 
to  show.  Beside,  there  would  be  an  opportunity 
for  discussion.  If  convenient  to  you  I  would  gladly 
come  to  your  residence  for  this  purpose." 

The  eyes  of  the  young  girl  brightened.  She  was 
greatly  pleased  at  the  idea  and  said  so  without  delay. 

"Very  well,"  said  Mr.  Weil,  more  than  delighted 
with  the  success  of  his  experiment.  "  To-day  is 
Tuesday  ;  shall  I  come  for  the  first  time,  say,  Thurs- 
day evening?" 

"  That  would  suit  me  perfectly  ;  or  to-morrow,  if 
you  wish.  I  shall  put  aside  everything  and  have  my 
time  free  for  you." 


34  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

Mr.  Weil  nodded. 

"  Let  it  be  Thursday  then.  And  the  hour — shall 
we  call  it  eight  ?" 

The  time  was  promptly  agreed  to. 

"  In  the  meantime,  I  will  take  the  MSS.  and  look 
it  over,  to  form  a  general  idea  of  the  plot.  Here  is 
my  card.  By-the-way,  you  will  of  course  arrange  it 
so  that  we  shall  not  be  interrupted  during  our  con- 
ference. It  disturbs  anything  of  that  kind  to  have 
people  coming  in  and  out.  We  want  to  be  entirely 
alone  so  as  to  give  our  full  attention  to  the  work  in 
hand." 

Miss  Fern  smilingly  acquiesced,  saying  that  it  was 
exactly  what  she  would  wish. 

"  And  do  you  think  there  may  be  hope  for  it  yet — 
that  poor  little  manuscript?" she  asked,  as  she  stood 
by  the  door  ready  to  take  her  departure. 

"  That  is  a  question  I  can  hardly  answer,"  he  re- 
plied. "  I  shall  be  better  able  to  tell  you  in  a  week 
or  two,  I  trust." 

She  lingered,  with  her  hand  on  the  door  knob. 

"  My  father  is  willing  to  take  all  the  financial 
risks,"  she  said.  "  That  ought  to  make  a  difference, 
don't  you  think  so  ?" 

"It  would,  with  many  houses,"  he  admitted.  "I 
am  glad  to  know  these  things.  Thursday,  then, 
Miss — Miss  Fern." 

He  wanted  to  call  her  "  Millicent,"  for  he  had 
read  the  name  on  the  package  he  still  held  in  his 
hand  ;  but  on  the  whole  he  concluded  that  this  would 
be  a  little  premature. 


*  HUB   FIET   WEBE    PINX."  35 

CHAPTER   III. 

"  HER  FEET  WERE  PINK." 

When  Miss  Millicent  Fern  entered  the  office  of 
Lawrence  Gouger,  as  detailed  in  the  preceding 
chapter,  it  will  be  remembered  that  she  found  that 
gentleman  and  his  friend,  Archie  Weil,  with  their 
hats  in  their  hands.  The  fact  was  that  Mr.  Weil  had 
but  just  entered  the  room,  and  that  Mr.  Gouger 
had  accepted  an  invitation  to  take  lunch  with  him, 
an  arrangement  that  was  by  no  means  an  infrequent 
one  between  them.  The  entrance  of  Miss  Fern,  and 
t.he  subsequent  proceedings,  compelled  the  literary 
critic  to  go  out  alone,  as  has  been  seen.  When  he 
returned  he  found  Mr.  Weil  still  there. 

"  Haven't  you  been  to  lunch  yet  !"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Gouger. 

"I  have  not  been  out  of  this  office,"  was  the  reply, 
"  and  all  appetite  for  anything  to  eat  has  left  me. 
Lawrence,  that  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  girls  I 
ever  met." 

Mr.  Gouger  pursed  up  his  lips,  and  uttered  an 
impatient,  "  Pah  !"  He  then  remarked  that  Mr. 
Weil  had  a  habit  of  finding  such  a  quality  in  the 
latest  women  of  his  acquaintance. 

"What  does  she  amount  to?"  he  asked.  "An 
overgrown  schoolgirl,  who  did  not  half  learn  her 
lessons.  Read  that  MSS.  she  left  here,  and  get 
disillusionized  in  short  order.  Why,  she  doesn't 


36  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

even  know  how  to  spell,  and  her  periods  and  commas 
are  in  a  hopeless  tangle." 

His  companion  eyed  him  quizzically. 

"Are  periods  and  commas,  even  a  correct  spelling 
of  the  English  language,  the  only  things  you  can  see 
in  a  bright,  handsome  girl?"  he  demanded.  "For 
shame,  Lawrence  !  You  are  adried-up  old  mummy. 
Your  senses  are  numb.  A  lively  wind  will  come  in 
at  the  keyhole  some  day  and  blow  you  out  of  that 
chimney." 

Mr.  Gouger  heaved  a  sigh,  as  if  to  say  that  dis- 
cussion with  such  a  nonsensical  fellow  was  useless, 
and  took  his  seat  at  his  desk,  where  an  unfinished 
pile  of  MSS.  awaited  his  reading. 

"  She's  given  me  leave  to  take  her  story  home," 
said  Mr.  Weil,  with  a  mischievous  expression. 

The  critic  stared  at  his  friend. 

"Given  it  to  you  ?"  he  repeated.  *'  How  did  that 
happen  ?" 

"  I  asked  her  for  it,  naturally.  You  were  so 
severe  on  the  poor  child,  that  I  couldn't  help  putting 
in  a  cheering  word.  We  talked  of  the  whole  business, 
and  she  was  willing  I  should  see  if  my  opinion 
agreed  with  yours." 

"  Your  opinion  !"  echoed  Gouger,  testily.  "  What 
is  that  worth  ?  But  take  the  stuff,  if  you  want  it, 
and  when  you  are  done,  send  it  to  her  ;  it  will  make 
less  rubbish  in  this  confounded  hole.  One  thing  I'll 
tell  you,  though,  in  advance.  You'll  never  be  able 
to  make  sense  of  it,  unless  you  get  some  one  to 
straighten  it  out." 

"That's  all  right,"  replied  the  other.     "After  I 


"HEK  FEET  WEKE  PINK."  37 

\ 

have  read   it  through,  I  am  going   to  Miss  Fern's 
house,  where  she  will  read  it  to  me." 

Mr.  Gouger  started  from  his  chair. 

"  You  don't  mean  that !"  he  exclaimed. 

"But  I  do.  She  asked  me,  and  I'm  going.  I 
understand  that  it's  a  rather  bold  tale,  and  I  can 
conceive  nothing  more  entertaining  than  to  hear 
that  kind  of  thing  from  the  red  lips  of  such  a  pretty 
piece  of  flesh  and  blood  as  has  just  left  here." 

There  was  an  uneasy  expression  on  the  face  of  the 
critic  as  he  heard  these  words.  He  liked  Weil, 
although  they  were  as  different  in  their  natures  as 
two  men  could  well  be.  He  wanted  to  please  him, 
but  the  aspect  of  this  affair  was  not  agreeable. 

"  Look  here,  Archie,"  he  said,  earnestly,  "  there 
are  some  things  that  I  can't  permit,  you  know.  My 
office  must  not  be  made  a  starting-place  for  one  of 
your  lawless  adventures.  You  met  Miss  Fern  here. 
Now,  I  protest  against  your  going  to  her  house, 
pretending  that  you  are  interested  in  that  novel, 
when  your  real  purpose  is  of  a  much  more  question- 
able kind." 

Mr.  Weil  put  on  the  air  of  one  whose  feelings  are 
lacerated  by  an  unjust  suspicion. 

"  My  dear  Lawrence — "  he  began. 

"  That's  all  right,"  growled  the  critic.  "  I  may  or 
may  not  be  your 'dear  Lawrence,' but  I  know  you 
like — like  a  book,"  he  added,  hitting  by  accident  on 
a  very  excusable  simile.  "  You  are  an  old  dog  that 
is  not  likely  to  learn  new  tricks.  I  shall  send  this 
MSS.  back  to  Miss  Fern,  myself,  enclosing  a  letter 
warning  her  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  you." 


38  A   BUCK 


A  laugh  escaped  the  lips  of  Archie  Weil  at  this 
proposition. 

"  If  you  knew  the  feminine  mind  half  as  well  as 
you  do  modern  literature,"  he  answered,  "  you  would 
see  how  little  that  would  avail.  I  have  met  Miss 
Fern  and  made  a  distinctly  favorable  impression. 
Her  address  is  in  my  pocket,  and  I  have  received  a 
pressing  invitation  to  call.  If  you  choose  to  send 
the  MSS.  by  another  messenger  you  will  relieve  me 
of  the  task  of  carrying  a  bundle,  but  you  will  accom- 
plish nothing  more." 

Mr.  Gouger's  mouth  opened  in  astonishment  at 
the  evident  advantage  which  his  friend  had  gained 
in  so  short  a  time. 

"  You  must  have  convinced  her  that  your  literary 
opinions  are  of  value,"  he  said,  presently.  "  If  I 
write  that  you  are  a  charletan  and  entirely  unworthy 
of  attention,  what  will  happen  then  ?"' 

The  smiling  gentleman  opposite  crossed  his  hands 
over  his  left  knee,  and  did  not  delay  his  answer. 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  he  said.  "  In  the  same  mail  she 
will  receive  a  letter  from  me,  warning  her  that  a  cer- 
tain party,  who  has  given  an  adverse  judgment  on  her 
writings,  may  attempt  to  influence  her  against  others 
more  likely  to  decide  in  her  favor.  She  will  be  told 
that,  having  rejected  a  book,  this  certain  party  does 
not  wish  any  one  else  to  print  it.  Send  the  severest 
note  you  can  construct,  Lawrence.  I  have  few 
talents,  but  I  know  how  to  write  letters." 

The  critic  could  hardly  believe  that  fate  had 
thrown  so  many  cords  around  his  neck  in  the  brief 
space  of  one  hour,  but  the  more  he  thought  the  more 


**  HElt  FIST  W1CKB  P1NJL**  39 

he  became  convinced  that  his  best  course  was  to  shut 
his  eyes. 

"  Well,  gang  your  gait,"  he  said,  after  a  long 
pause,  during  which  the  look  of  triumph  deepened 
on  his  companion's  face.  "  You  will  have  to  Answer 
for  your  own  sins.  But  I'll  tell  you  one  thing,  that 
may  save  your  time.  Women  who  write  racy  novels 
are  almost  without  exception  remarkably  correct  in 
their  own  lives." 

Mr.  Weil  inquired  if  his  friend  was  certain  of  this, 
and  there  was  a  suspicion  of  disappointment  in  his 
tone. 

"Absolutely,"  said  Mr.  Gouger,  refreshing  his 
memory.  "  I  can  think  of  a  dozen  instances  to  prove 
the  point.  There  is  Lelia  Dante,  for  instance,  who 
writes  like  a — like  a — well,  you  know  how  she  writes. 
She  sticks  to  her  mother's  apron  strings  like  a  four- 
year-old  child.  They  never  are  seen  apart,  I  am 
told.  Then  there  is  Mrs.  Helen  Walker  Wilbur,  the 
poetesSe  We  have  a  volume  of  her  verse  that  is  posi- 
tively combustible  from  its  own  heat.  The  sheets 
had  to  be  run  off  the  press  soaked  in  water  to  keep 
them  from  igniting.  The  room  was  full  of  steam  all 
the  time  the  work  was  going  on.  Warm  !  I  should 
say  so  !  Now,  that  woman  is  vain,  and  she  dresses 
foolishly,  and  she  does  odd  things  for  the  sake  of 
being  talked  about — but  nobody  questions  her  loy- 
alty to  her  husband.  You  would  think  by  some  of 
her  poems  that  an  East  Indian  regiment  would  not 
suffice  for  her,  and  yet  she  is  the  straightest  wife  on 
Manhattan  Island.  Oh,  I  know  so  many  cases.  You 
remember  that  girl  who  wrote,  '  Love's  Extremities/ 


40  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

a  work  as  passionate  as  Sappho.  She  Is  a  little 
Quaker-like  maiden,*  who  dresses  and  talks  like  a 
sister  of  one  of  the  Episcopal  guilds.  These  women 
are  on  fire  at  the  brain  only.  They  would  repel  a 
physical  advance  with  more  indignation  than  these 
endowed  with  less  esthetic  perceptions.  So,  see  Miss 
Fern  as  much  as  you  like.  Should  you  attempt  any- 
thing improper  you  will  prove  the  truth  of  my  asser- 
tions." 

Mr.  Weil  changed  the  knee  he  had  been  nursing, 
but  the  quiet  smile  did  not  leave  his  countenance. 

"  What  an  inconsistent  fellow  you  are,  Lawrence," 
he  said.  "  I  could  convict  you  of  a  hundred  errors 
of  logic.  Do  you  remember  telling  Mr.  Roseleaf 
that  a  man  should  have  a  passion  before  he  at- 
tempts to  depict  one." 

"  And  I  say  so  still,"  retorted  Gouger.  "  You 
don't  call  the  ravings  of  these  poetesses  and  female 
novelists  real  life,  do  you  ?  You  know  the  actual 
lover  isn't  content  with  kissing  the  hair  and  the  feet 
of  his  divinity  !  There  is  more  about  women's  feet 
in  these  poems  and  novels  than  all  the  rest  of  their 
anatomy  put  together.  And  what  is  a  woman's  foot  ? 
Did  you  ever  see  one  that  was  pretty — that  you 
wanted  to  put  to  your  lips  ?" 

"  Yes,"  interrupted  Archie,  dreamily,  "  once.  At 
Capri.  She  was  fifteen.  Her  feet  were  pink,  like  a 
shell.  She  was  walking  along  the  shore  in  the  early 
evening." 

"  With  the  dirt  of  the  soil  on  them  !"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Gouger,  in  disgust. 

*  Now  dead,  alas  I— A.  R. 


"HEB  FKBT  WEBB  PINK."  41 

M  No,  she  had  just  emerged  from  her  bath.  The 
sand  there  was  clean  as  a  carpet,  cleaner,  in  fact. 
Gods  !  They  were  exquisite  !" 

The  critic  uttered  an  exclamation. 

"  I  waste  time  talking  to  you,"  he  said,  sharply^ 
"  You  are  like  the  rest  of  the  imaginative  crowd.  It 
is  a  pity  you  were  not  gifted  with  the  divine  afflatus, 
that  you  could  have  added  your  volumes  to  the  non- 
sense they  print." 

"And  which  you  are  always  glad  to  get,"  inter- 
polated Mr.  Weil. 

"  Because  it  will  sell.  Cutt  &  Slashem  are  in  this 
business  to  make  money,  and  my  thoughts  must  be 
directed  to  the  saleable  quality  of  the  manuscripts 
submitted.  If  /  was  running  the  concern,  though,  I 
would  touch  the  mooney,  maundering  mess.  It  makes 
my  flesh  creep,  sometimes,  to  read  it.** 

Archie  Weil  uttered  another  of  his  winsome  laughs. 

"  How  would  you  like  to  be  a  serpent,"  he  asked, 
"  and  have  your  flesh  creep  all  the  time  ?  But  be- 
fore we  dismiss  this  matter  of  Miss  Fern,  I  want  you 
to  clear  your  mind,  if  you  can,  of  the  haunting  sus. 
picions  you  always  have  when  a  woman  is  concerned. 
You  know  there  are  concerns  in  the  city  who 
would  print  her  book,  with  a  proper  amount  paid 
down,  if  it  had  neither  sense,  syntax  nor  orthography. 
If  she  wants  it  fixed  up,  I  can  find  tailors  to  help  her 
out  ;  and  if  her  papa  wants  it  on  the  market,  why 
shouldn't  he  be  able  to  get  it  there  ?  Now,  let  us 
talk  a  little  about  Roseleaf." 

Mr.  Gouger  brightened  at  the  change  of  subject. 
His  interest  in  Mr.  Roseleaf  was  genuine,  and  he  had 


42  A   BLACK   ADOKIfi. 

already  learned  that  Archie  had  formed  a  sort  e»f 
copartnership  with  the  novelist,  in  the  hope  of  mak- 
ing his  future  work  a  success.  While  the  critic  could 
not  be  said  to  have  any  real  faith  in  the  arrange- 
ment, it  certainly  interested  him. 

"  What  strange  freak  will  you  take  to  next  ?"  he 
asked.  "And  do  you  really  expect  to  make  a  novel- 
ist out  of  that  young  man  ?" 

Mr.  Weil's  eyes  had  a  twinkle  in  them. 

"Didn't  you  say,  yourself,  that  it  could  be  done  ?" 
he  inquired.  "  If  I  have  made  any  mistake  in  my 
investment,  I  shall  charge  the  loss  to  you." 

The  critic  reflected  a  minute. 

"I'm  not  so  certain  it  can't  be  done,"*  he  said. 
"  But  that's  quite  different  from  investing  money  in 
it,  as  you  are  doing.  A  man  wants  pretty  near  a  cer- 
tainty before  he  puts  up  the  «tuff." 

"  You  greedy  fellow  !"  exclaimed  Weil.  "  Will  you 
never  think  of  anything  but  gain  ?  I  have  to  spend 
about  so  much  money  every  year,  in  a  continual 
attempt  to  amuse  myself,  and  it  might  as  well  be 
this  way  as  another.  I  have  a  document,  signed  and 
solemnly  sealed,  by  which  I  am  to  back  him  against 
the  field  in  the  interest  of  romantic  and  realistic 
literature,  and  in  return  he  is  to  give  me  a  third  of 
the  net  profits  of  his  writings.  I  don't  know  that  I 
have  done  so  badly.  Perhaps  you  may  live  to  see 
Cutt  &  Slashem  pay  us  a  handsome  sum  in  royal- 
ties." 

Mr.  Gouger  looked  oddly  at  his  friend,  whose  face 
was  perfectly  serious. 

H  What  arc  you  going  to  begin  with  T  he  asked. 


14  H  F.-K    F-TF.  BIT   WESJE    FIHI."  43 

"  Love,  of  course.  It  is  the  A  B  G,  as  well  as  the 
X  Y  Z  of  the  whole  business." 

"  What  kind  of  love  ?" 

"  The  best  that  can  be  got,"  replied  Weil,  now 
laughing  in  spite  of  himself.  "  The  very  finest  qual- 
ity in  the  market.  Oh,  we  shall  do  this  up  brown,  I 
tell  you." 

"  What  have  you  done  so  far  ?"  asked  Gouger. 

"You  want  to  know  it  all,  eh  ?"  responded  Mr. 
Weil.  "  I  don't  think  I  am  justified  in  letting  you 
too  deeply  into  our  secrets.  However,  you  are  too 
honorable  to  betray  us,  and  so  here  goes  :  I  hare 
instructed  my  protege  that  he  must  fall  violently 
under  the  tender  passion  before  next  Saturday 
night." 

"With  a  lady  whom  you  have  selected, of  course  ?" 

"  By  no  means.  He  must  catch  his  own  sweet- 
hearts." 

Mr.  Gouger  played  with  his  watchchain. 

"  And  this  is  Tuesday,"  he  commented.  "  Do  you 
think  he  will  succeed  ?" 

"  He  must,"  laughed  Weil.  "  It's  like  the  case  of 
the  boy  who  was  digging  out  the  woodchuck.  'The 
minister's  coming  to  dinner.'" 

"You  might  at  least  have  got  an  introduction  for 
him,"  said  Gouger,  reflectively. 

"Not  I.  There's  nothing  in  our  agreement  that 
puts  such  a  task  on  me.  Besides,  there's  no  romance 
in  an  introduction.  He  would  write  a  story  as  prosy 
as  one  of  Henry  James'  if  he  started  off  like  that." 

Mr.  Gouger  nodded  his  head  slowly. 


4A  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

"  That  would  be  something  to  avoid  at  all  hazards," 
he  assented. 

And  at  this  juncture,  to  the  surprise  of  both  the 
parties  to  this  conversation,  the  young  man  of  whom 
they  were  speaking  entered  the  room. 

"  I  was  telling  Mr.  Gouger  of  our  agreement,"  said 
Mr.  Weil,  as  soon  as  the  greetings  were  over.  "  How 
do  you  get  along  ?  Have  you  discovered  your 
heroine  yet  ?" 

Mr.  Roseleaf  answered,  with  an  air  of  timidity,  in 
the  negative. 

"  I  don't  quite  know  where  to  find  one,"  he  said. 

Mr.  Weil  spread  out  his  arms  to  their  fullest 
capacity. 

"  There  are  thirty  millions  of  them  in  the  United 
States  alone,"  he  exclaimed.  "  Out  of  that  number 
you  ought  to  find  a  few  whom  you  can  study.  What 
a  pity  that  7  cannot  write  !  I  would  go  out  of  that 
door  and  in  ten  minutes  I  would  have  a  subject  ready 
for  vivisection." 

The  younger  man  raised  his  eyebrows  slightly. 

"  But,  that  kind  of  a  woman — would  be  what  you 
would  want — the  kind  that  would  let  you  talk  to  her 
on  a  mere  street  acquaintance  !" 

Mr.  Weil  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  stretched 
his  legs. 

•'  Oh,  yes,"  he  said.  "  She  would  do  for  a  begin- 
ning. Don't  imagine  that  none  of  these  easy  going 
girls  are  worth  the  attention  of  a  novelist.  Some- 
times they  are  vastly  more  interesting  than  the 
bread  and  butter  product  of  the  drawing  rooms.  It 


45 

won't  do,  in  your  profession,  to  ignore  any  sort  of 
human  being." 

Roseleaf  breathed  a  sigh  as  soft  as  his  name. 

"  You  were  right,  Mr.  Gouger,"  he  said,  turning 
to  that  gentleman.  "  I  do  not  know  anything.  I 
have  judged  by  appearances,  and  I  now  see  that 
truth  cannot  be  learned  in  that  way." 

"  All  the  better  !"  broke  in  Archie.  "The  surest 
progress  is  made  by  the  man  who  has  learned  his 
deficiencies.  You  remember  the  hare  and  the  tor- 
toise. I  have  read  somewhere  that  the  race  is  not 
always  to  the  swift.  You  must  treat  your  fellow 
men  and  women  as  if  you  had  just  arrived  on  this 
earth  from  the  planet  Mars.  You  must  dig  through 
the  strata  of  conventionality  to  the  virgin  soil 
beneath.  The  great  human  passions  are  lust  and 
avarice,  though  they  take  a  thousand  forms,  in  many 
of  which  they  have  more  polite  names.  For  instance, 
the  former,  when  kept  within  polite  boundaries,  is 
usually  known  as  Love.  As  Avarice  makes  but  a  sorry 
theme  for  the  romantic  writer,  Love  is  the  subject 
that  must  principally  claim  your  attention.  All  the 
world  loves  a  lover,  while  the  miser  is  despised  even 
by  those  who  cringe  beneath  the  power  of  his  gold. 
Study  the  women,  my  lad,  and  when  you  know  them 
thoroughly  begin  your  great  novel  in  earnest." 

Roseleaf  listened  with  rapt  attention. 

11  And  the  men  ?"  he  asked. 

"The  men,"  was  the  quick  reply,  "are  too  trans- 
parent to  require  study.  It  is  the  women,  with  their 
ten  million  tricks  to  cajole  and  wheedle  us,  that 
afford  the  best  field  for  your  efforts." 


46  A   BLACK   ADOHIS. 

Mr.  Gouger,  who  had  never  been  known  to  take 
so  much  time  from  his  work  during  business  hours, 
tried  to  begin  his  reading,  but  without  success. 
When  at  his  usual  occupation  he  would  not  have 
been  disturbed  by  the  conversation  of  a  room  full  of 
people,  so  preoccupied  was  he  with  what  he  had  to 
do  ;  but  on  this  occasion  he  was  too  much  enter- 
tained with  his  companions  to  do  anything  but  hear 
them  through. 

"  Is  there  no  such  thing  as  unselfish  love — in  a 
woman — love  that  sacrifices  itself  for  its  object  ?" 
asked  Roseleaf,  with  a  trace  of  anxiety  in  his  tone. 

u  M m,  possibly,"  drawled  Mr.  Weil.  "  A  female 

animal  with  young  sometimes  evinces  the  possession 
of  that  sort  of  thing,  and  women  may  have  touches 
of  it  on  occasions.  That  will  be  a  good  point  for 
you  to  remember  when  you  are  deeper  in  your  inves- 
tigations. However,  I  ought  not  to  fill  your  head 
with  ideas  of  my  own.  I  think  what  we  most  desire 
in  our  friend,"  he  added,  turning  to  the  critic,  "  is 
complete  originality." 

The  young  man  shifted  his  feet  nervously. 

"Pardon  me,"  he  said,  "would  it  not  be  well  to 
talk  with  people  and  learn  their  impressions  ?  Then 
I  can  compare  these  with  my  own  experiences,  when 
they  come.  You  would  not  send  a  blind  man  out  on 
the  street  unled." 

Archie  Weil  laughed  deliciously. 

"  You  are  ingenious,  when  you  should  only  be 
ingenuous,"  he  replied.  "  You  do  not  act  at  all  like 
the  young  man  from  Mars  that  I  have  in  mind.  Per- 
haps, nevertheless,  you  are  not  wholly  wrong,  for  even 


''  HER   FEET   WEBB   WML."  47 

my  traveler  from  that  planet  might  have  to  ask  his 
way  to  the  nearest  town.  Supposing  you  had  just 
reached  the  earth,  and  had  met  me  with  a  thousand 
questions.  What  could  I  answer  that  would  be  of 
any  use  ?" 

Mr.  Roseleaf  reflected  a  moment. 

"  You  could  tell  me  your  idea  of  a  perfect  woman," 
he  suggested. 

"  Well,  I  will,"  said  Weil,  glancing  meaningly  at 
Mr.  Gouger.  "  The  perfect  woman  is  about  nineteen 
years  of  age.  She  is  neither  very  light  nor  very 
dark.  Her  eyes  are  hazel,  with  a  touch  of  gray  in 
them.  She  measures,  say,  five  feet,  four  inches  in 
height,  and — about — twenty-two  inches  around  the 
waist.  She  has  a  plump  arm,  not  too  fleshy,  a  well- 
made  leg,  a  head  set  on  her  shoulders  with  enough 
neck  to  give  it  freedom  and  grace  of  movement, 
but  not  sufficient  to  warrant  comparison  with  a 
swan,  or  even  a  goose.  Her  hands  match  her  feet, 
being  not  too  slender  nor  too  dainty.  Her  hips  are 
medium,  but  not  bulging.  She  weighs  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  a  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds.  And  her 
hair — there  is  but  one  color  for  a  woman's  hair — is 
Titian  red." 

The  young  man  had  taken  out  his  note-book  and 
rapidly  sketched  this  list  of  attractions. 

"  Every  woman  cannot  have  Titian  hair,"  re- 
marked Mr.  Gouger.  "Would  you  condemn  one 
with  all  the  other  attributes  on  account  of  missing 
that  ?" 

"  I  would,  decidedly,"  was  the  reply,  "  when  it  is 
obtained  so  easily,  I  think  it  only  costs  two  dollars 


48  A  BLACK  ADONIS. 

a  bottle,  for  the  finest  shade.  Have  you  written  it 
all  down,  Mr.  Roseleaf  ?" 

The  young  man  ran  over  his  notes. 

"  I  have  it — all  but  the  hair,"  he  said.  "  Of  course 
I  could  not  forget  that." 

"Very  well.  And  this  hair  must  be  long  enough, 
but  not  too  long,  remember,  for  everything  unduly 
accentuated  spoils  a  woman.  It  should  hang  about 
five  inches  below  the  waist,  when  unfastened,  and  be 
thick  enough  to  make  a  noticeable  coil.  There 
should  be  sufficient  to  hide  her  face  and  her  lover's 
when  he  takes  her  in  his  arms." 

Mr.  Roseleaf  started  slightly. 

"Then  she  should  have  a  lover  ?"  he  remarked, 
curiously. 

"  Undoubtedly.  Else  why  the  hair  and  the  arms, 
and  the  five  feet  four  !  It  is  a  woman's  business  to 
be  loved  and  to  make  herself  lovable.  When  you 
have  found  this  woman,  if  she  has  no  lover,  you  will 
be  expected  to  officiate  in  that  capacity.  If  she  has 
one,  you  must  supplant  him  as  soon  as  possible. 
And  when  you  have  fallen  desperately,  ravingly  in 
love  with  such  a  creature,  you  will  not  have  to  come 
to  me  for  further  advice." 

The  young  man  surveyed  the  speaker  with  the 
utmost  gravity. 

"Have^tf*  ever  been  in  love  ?"  he  inquired. 

*  Never/* 

«  Why  r 

"It  was  not  necessary;  /did  not  intend  to  write 
novels,"  said  Archie,  with  a  laugh.  "  But,  come,  we 
have  bothered  Lawrence  enough.  Let  us  go." 


WITH   TITIAN   TRESSES. 


He  took  the  package  containing  Miss  Fern's  story, 
and  sauntered  out,  paying  no  attention  to  the  pecu- 
liar glances  that  his  friend,  the  critic,  threw  at  him 
as  he  was  leaving. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

WITH   TITIAN   TRESSES. 

Mr.  Weil  deciphered  the  MSS.  of  Miss  Fern  with 
some  difficulty.  Not  that  the  handwriting  was  par- 
ticularly illegible,  though  it  did  not  in  the  least 
resemble  copperplate  engraving  ;  but,  as  Mr.  Gouger 
had  intimated,  the  sentences  were  so  badly  con- 
structed, and  the  punctuation  so  different  from  that 
prescribed  by  the  usual  authorities,  that  he  was  con- 
tinually obliged  to  go  back  over  his  tracks  and  hunt 
for  meanings.  Nevertheless,  within  an  hour  from 
the  time  when  he  sat  down  in  his  room  at  the  Hoff- 
man House  and  opened  the  package  he  had 
brought,  he  had  to  confess  himself  deeply  in- 
terested. 

Miss  Fern  had  conceived  some  entertaining  char- 
acters, and  some  very  unconventional  situations. 
Her  people  were  virile  ;  her  hero  was  strong  if  not 
always  grammatical  ;  her  heroine  did  and  said  things 
not  common  in  real  life,  and  yet  that  were  quite 
reasonable  when  her  peculiar  nature  and  environ- 
ment were  considered. 


50  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

Archie  paused  once  in  awhile  to  wonder  how 
much  of  all  this  record  was  within  the  direct  knowl- 
edge of  the  young  authoress  ;  which  expressions  con- 
veyed her  own  ideas  and  which  sentiments  she 
would  personally  endorse.  Gouger  might  be  right 
as  to  the  exceeding  purity  of  most  of  the  ladies  who 
dealt  in  eroticism,  but  in  this  especial  case  Mr.  Weil 
meant  to  make  an  investigation  on  his  own  account 
before  he  accepted  as  a  universal  rule  the  one  his 
friend  had  laid  down. 

He  did  not  go  to  sleep  that  night  until  he  had 
finished  his  story.  Had  it  been  arranged  by  a 
competent  hand  he  could  have  read  it  in  four  hours, 
but  as  it  was  he  consumed  eight  in  the  work.  With 
all  its  faults,  he  liked  it.  There  was  something 
breezy  about  it,  and  it  had  a  theme  that  he  did 
not  remember  had  been  treated  exactly  in  the  same 
way  before.  Though,  as  he  himself  had  said,  with- 
out much  talent  for  composition,  Archie  had  read  a 
great  many  books.  It  is  no  proof  because  a  person 
cannot  write  that  he  would  make  a  poor  critic.  Mr. 
Weil  might  almost  have  filled  Lawrence  Gouger's 
place  at  Cutt  &  Slashem's.  He  had  written  fugitive 
pieces  in  his  time  for  the  papers,  in  reference  to  his 
travels,  which  had  been  extensive,  and  had  even  con- 
tributed occasional  book  reviews  to  the  magazines. 
His  connection  with  Gouger  enabled  him  to  keep  in 
touch  with  what  was  going  on  in  the  literary  world, 
and  the  dozens  of  new  volumes  which  passed 
through  that  office  were  always  at  his  disposal. 

"  She's  not  a  fool,  by  any  means,"  he  remarked  to 
himself,  when  he  put  down  the  last  sheet  of  Miss 


WITH   TITIAJT  TBEB6E8.  51 

Fern's  work.  "A  fellow  who  understood  his  busi- 
ness might  put  that  into  such  shape  that  it  would  be 
worth  using.  I  mean  to  find  some  one  who  can  do 
it,  and  suggest  the  idea  to  her,  when  I  get  to  that 
stage  in  this  affair.  Let  me  see,  who  do  I  know  that 
could  undertake  it  ?" 

He  had  begun  to  undress,  and  was  in  the  act  of 
taking  off  his  collar  as  he  spoke.  His  mind  ran 
over  a  list  of  struggling  literary  men.  Something 
seemed  the  matter  with  most  of  them.  There  was 
Hamlin,  but  he  would  be  too  exacting,  and  would 
want  to  suggest  alterations  in  the  story  itself,  which 
would  never  do.  There  was  Insley,  whose  last  three 
books  had  been  flat  failures,  and  for  whom  Cutt  £ 
Slashem  had  positively  refused  to  print  anything 
more  ;  but  Insley  had  gone  into  the  country  for  the 
summer  and  nobody  knew  his  address.  Then  there 
was — 

"  Roseleaf  T 

Archie  received  this  thought  like  an  inspiration. 
He  threw  his  cravat  on  the  bureau  and  began  tug- 
ging at  his  shoestrings  to  the  imminent  danger  of 
getting  them  into  hard  knots  that  no  one  could 
unravel.  Roseleaf  !  Why  not  ?  The  boy  would  do 
almost  anything  he  suggested,  so  great  was  his  con- 
fidence that  a  road  to  literary  preferment  could  be 
staked  out  over  that  path.  Roseleaf  would  not 
undertake  the  work  for  the  sake  of  pecuniary  com- 
pensation, but  the  thing  could  be  presented  to  him 
in  quite  another  light.  In  Miss  Fern's  story  there 
were  living,  breathing  men  and  women.  In  his 
own  there  were  beautifully  drawn  marionettes.  He 


52  A   BLACK  ADOHI8. 

could  be  made  to  see  that  the  study  of  the  young 
lady's  method  was  worth  his  while.  And  then  ! 

Mr.  Weil's  shoes  lay  on  the  floor,  in  the  disorder  of 
a  bachelor  who  had  never  in  his  life  taken  pains  to 
put  anything  in  the  place  where  it  really  belonged. 
He  took  out  the  studs  of  his  shirt,  pulled  that  gar- 
ment over  his  head,  and  then  sat  for  some  minutes 
wrapped  in  active  thought. 

"They  must  be  introduced  to  each  other!"  he 
exclaimed,  at  last.  "  Between  them  they  have  every 
qualification  for  success  ;  apart  they  are  like  the 
separated  wheels  of  a  watch.  There  is  Shirley,  with 
a  style  so  sweetly  subtle,  a  grace  so  perfect,  every 
line  a  gem  ;  and  with  it  all  not  a  sign  of  human 
emotion.  There  is  Millicent,  full  of  plot  and  daring 
and  breathing  characters,  and  bold  conceptions,  and 
no  more  able  to  write  good  English  than  an  Esqui- 
maux squaw.  I  have  both  these  interesting  persons 
on  my  hands,  and  I  must  combine  them,  for  their 
mutual  good. 

"  I  wonder  what  Gouger  will  say  when  I  unfold  my 
plan.  Perhaps  I  had  best  not  tell  him.  He  actually 
came  near  threatening,  to-day,  to  send  a  line  to  Miss 
Fern,  warning  her  against  me.  He  wouldn't  have 
done  it,  though.  Lawrence  has  a  bark  that  is  worse 
than  his  bite  by  a  great  deal.  Yes,  I'll  bring  these 
young  folks  together.  I'll  take  them  as  Hermann  does 
the  rabbits,  and  press  them  gently  but  firmly  into 
one.  And  then  sha'n't  we  get  a  combination  !  And 
won't  Mr.  Lawrence  Gouger  hug  himself  when  the 
product  of  their  joint  endeavor  comes  to  him  for  a 
reading .'" 


WITH   TITIAN  TRESSES.  53 

The  muser  finished  disrobing  and  donned  his  night 
robes,  but  it  was  a  long  time  before  he  felt  like 
slumber.  He  could  think  of  nothing  but  his  scheme. 
As  he  revolved  it  over  in  his  mind,  it  took  many  new 
forms.  At  first  Roseleaf  was  to  be  asked  to  rewrite 
the  story  that  Miss  Fern  had  offered  Cutt  &  Slashem. 
And  afterwards  there  must  be  an  entirely  new  novel, 
conceived  together  and  worked  out  slowly,  using  the 
best  of  what  was  brightest  in  both  of  them. 

The  last  ides  Mr.  Weil  had  before  he  relapsed  into 
unconsciousness  contained  two  novels,  worked  out 
at  the  same  time.  Roseleaf  was  all  right,  if  he  could 
only  get  a  glimpse  of  realism  into  his  work.  Miss 
Fern  would  have  no  trouble  if  her  ideas  could  find  a 
garb  that  suited  them. 

There  would  be  a  way  to  make  them  of  service  to 
each  other,  and  the  time  to  cross  a  bridge  is  always 
when  you  come  to  it.  So  thought  Archie  Weil,  as  he 
fell  asleep. 

In  the  morning  he  laughed  to  think  of  the  descrip- 
tion he  had  given  to  Shirley,  in  his  offhand  way, 
of  "  the  perfect  woman."  It  was  a  faithful  list  of 
Miss  Millicent's  charms,  so  far  as  they  were  apparent 
to  him.  Shirley  had  noted  them  down  with  great 
carefulness,  and  would  be  sura  to  notice  how  fully 
the  authoress  met  the  ideal  he  now  had  in  mind.  It 
only  remained  for  the  schemer  to  say  something  to 
Miss  Fern  that  would  suggest  Roseleaf  to  her,  when- 
ever they  were  made  acquainted. 

It  must  be  plain  to  the  reader  that  Mr.  Weil's  prin- 
cipal intention  in  this  whole  matter  was  to  dispose 
of  the  ennui  which  idleness  brings  evea  to  its  most 


54  A   BLACK   ADONI8. 

adoring  devotees.  He  had  a  fair  fortune,  accumu- 
lated by  a  father  who  had  denied  himself  every  lux- 
ury to  amass  it.  Drifting  to  New  York,  he  had 
found  the  vicinity  of  the  Hoffman  House  very  agree- 
able, arid  his  companions,  with  the  exception  of  Mr. 
Gouger,  were  of  about  as  light  views  of  life  as  him- 
self. The  critic  was  one  of  those  strange  exceptions 
with  which  most  of  us  come  in  contact,  where  per- 
sons of  entirely  opposite  tastes  and  inclinations 
become  attached  friends. 

Breakfast  was  served  so  late  to  Mr.  Weil  that  he 
had  not  finished  that  repast  when  the  young  novelist 
made  his  appearance.  Seating  himself  on  the  side 
of  the  table  that  faced  his  friend,  Mr.  Roseleaf 
responded  to  the  latter's  inquiries  in  regard  to  his 
health  by  saying  that  he  was  quite  well.  Indeed,  he 
looked  it.  His  eye  was  bright,  his  cheek  rosy.  His 
attire  showed  just  enough  of  a  negligent  quality  to 
be  attractive.  There  was  an  air  about  him  such  as 
is  often  associated  with  an  artist  of  the  pencil  and 
brush. 

"  Never  better  in  health,"  he  said,  "  but  very  anx- 
ious to  begin  something  definite  in  the  way  of 
work." 

Mr.  Weil  smiled  his  most  affable  smile. 

"  What  did  I  tell  you  to  do,  first  ?"  he  asked,  play- 
fully. 

"  To  fall  in  love." 

"  Which  you  have  not  yet  done  !" 

The  young  man  shook  his  head. 

"  Good  Heavens  1  And  you  have  lost  more  than  a 
week  I" 


WITH   TITIAN   TRESSES.  55 

koseleaf  colored  more  than  ever. 

"  Isn't  there  something  else — that  I  could — begin 
on  ?"  he  asked,  humbly. 

"  I  don't  know  of  anything.  Love  is  the  alphabet 
of  the  novelist.  You'd  best  go  straight.  Aren't 
there  any  eligible  young  women  at  your  lodging 
house  ?" 

The  younger  man  thought  a  moment. 

"  No  ;  only  the  chambermaid." 

Mr.  Weil  sipped  his  coffee  with  a  wise  expression. 

"  It  may  come  to  that,"  he  said,  putting  down  the 
cup, "  but  we'll  hope  not.  We  will  hope  not.  What's 
the  matter  with  Central  Park  ?  There  are  five  hun- 
dred nice  girls  there  every  afternoon." 

"  But  I  don't  know  them,"  said  Roseleaf,  des- 
perately. "  And — I  have  been  there.  Yesterday 
one  of  them  looked  at  me  and  smiled.  I  walked 
toward  her,  and  she  slackened  her  speed.  When  I 
came  within  a  few  feet  she  almost  stopped.  Then — 
I  could  think  of  nothing  to  say  to  her,  and  I  walked 
on,  looking  in  ths  other  direction." 

Several  breakfasters  in  the  vicinity  turned  their 
heads  to  note  the  couple  at  the  table,  from  which  a 
laugh  that  could  be  heard  all  over  the  room  came 
musically. 

"  Why  didn't  you  say  '  Good-morning?'  " 

"  Yes  !  And  she  might  have  said  *  Good-morning.' 
And  then  it  would  be  my  turn,  and  what  could  I 
have  done  ?" 

Mr  Weil  folded  up  his  napkin  and  laid  it  by  his 
plate. 

*  You  coward/'  he  replied,  affably,  "you  could 


56  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

have  done  a  thousand  things.  You  could  have 
remarked  that  the  day  was  fair,  or  that  you  won- 
dered if  it  would  rain.  And  you  could  have  asked 
her  to  stroll  over  to  a  restaurant  and  take  a  little 
refreshment.  Once  opposite  to  her,  the  rest  would 
have  come  fast  enough." 

The  novelist  took  out  a  handkerchief  and  wiped 
the  perspiration  from  his  forehead.  It  all  seemed 
very  easy  the  way  Archie  described  it,  but  he  was 
sure  it  would  be  very  different  in  practice.  How 
could  he  know,  he  demanded,  that  the  young  lady 
would  go  to  the  restaurant  with  him  ?  She  might 
have  declined,  and  then  he  would  have  been  in  a 
worse  position  than  ever. 

"  Declined  !"  echoed  Archie.  "  Declined  a  lunch  ? 
Declined  ice  cream  ?  Declined  champagne  frapp6  ! 
Well,  you  are  ignorant  of  the  sex.  My  dear  boy,  it 
is  evident  that  1  shall  have  to  introduce  you  to  the 
leading  lady  of  your  company,  and  if  you  will  be 
patient  for  a  very  few  days,  I  hope  to  be  able  to 
do  so." 

Rousing  himself  with  a  show  of  genuine  interest, 
Roseleaf  inquired  for  further  particulars. 

"  Listen,"  replied  the  other.  "  I  expect,  to-mor- 
row evening,  to  spend  a  few  hours  in  the  company  of 
one  of  the  most  charming  members  of  her  sex.  She, 
like  you,  has  an  ambition  to  become  a  successful 
writer.  Like  you,  also,  she  lacks  some  of  the  prime 
qualities  that  are  needed  for  that  end.  It  happens, 
however,  that  the  things  wanting  are  entirely  differ- 
ent in  each  of  your  cases — that  you  will,  if  you 
choose,  be  able  to  supplement  and  perfect  each  other. 


WITH   TITIAN   TRES8E8.  57 

I  shall  tell  her  that  I  know  a  young  man  of  literary 
taste  who  will  give  her  advice  on  the  points  in  which 
she  is  deficient.  With  such  an  opening  you  will  be 
at  once  on  Easy  street,  and  if  you  cannot  fall  in  love 
within  forty-eight  hours,  I  shall  regard  you  as  a  case 
too  hopeless  to  merit  further  attention  at  my  hands." 

The  young  man's  cheek  glowed  with  pleasure. 

"  That  is  more  like  it,"  he  said.  "  When  do  you 
think  I  shall  be  able  to  meet  this  young  lady  ?" 

"  Within  a  week  or  two,  at  the  latest.  I  must 
sound  her  before  I  trust  you  with  her,  for  she  is 
nearly  as  much  a  stranger  to  me,  so  far,  as  to  you. 
Of  course  there  is  no  objection — quite  the  contrary — 
to  your  falling  in  love  elsewhere  in  the  meantime,  if 
opportunity  serves." 

At  this  moment  Mr.  Weil  called  his  companion's 
attention  to  a  rather  corpulent  gentleman  who  had 
just  entered  the  breakfast  room  and  was  stopping 
near  the  door  to  hold  a  brief  conversation  with  some 
one  he  had  met  there. 

"You  see  that  fellow?"  he  remarked.  "  Wait  a 
minute,  and  I  will  get  him  over  here.  If  you  ever 
want  to  put  a  real  character  into  one  of  your  stories 
you  will  only  need  to  take  his  photograph.  In 
actual  life  he  is  as  dull  as  a  rusty  meat  axe,  but  for 
literary  purposes  he  would  be  a  godsend." 

Catching  the  eye  of  the  person  of  whom  he  was 
speaking^  Mr.  Weil  motioned  to  him  to  come  to  his 
part  of  the  room,  and  as  he  approached  arranged  a 
chair  for  him  invitingly. 

M  Mr.  Boggs,  I  want  to  present  a  young  friend  of 


5$  A    BLACK    ADONIS. 

mine  to  you,"  said  Archie,  rising.  "Mr.  Walker 
Boggs — Mr.  Shirley  Roseleaf." 

Mr.  Boggs  went  through  the  usual  ceremony, 
announcing  that  he  was  most  happy,  etc.,  in  the 
perfunctory  style  that  a  million  other  men  follow 
every  day.  Then  he  took  the  chair  that  was  offered 
him,  and  gave  an  order  for  his  breakfast  to  a  waiter. 

"Are  you  a  New  Yorker,  Mr.  Roseleaf  ?"  he  asked, 
when  this  important  matter  was  disposed  of. 

"Mr.  Roseleaf  is  staying  here  for  the  present," 
explained  Mr.  Weil.  "  He  is  a  novelist  by  profes- 
sion, and  I  tell  him  there  is  no  better  place  to  study 
the  sensational  than  this  vicinity." 

The  young  man's  color  deepened.  He  doubted  if 
it  was  right  to  introduce  the  subject  in  exactly  these 
terms.  Mr.  Boggs'  next  question  did  not  detract 
from  his  uneasiness. 

"  Excuse  me — I  am  not  altogether  up  in  current 
literature,  and  I  must  ask  what  Mr.  Roseleaf  has 
written." 

Mr.  Weil  helped  his  young  friend  out  of  this 
dilemma  as  well  as  he  could. 

"  He  has  written  nothing,  as  yet ;  at  least  nothing 
that  has  been  printed,"  he  said.  "  He  is  wise,  I 
think,  in  laying  a  deep  foundation  for  his  romances, 
instead  of  rushing  into  print  with  the  first  thoughts 
that  enter  his  head,  as  so  many  do,  to  their  own  sub- 
sequent regret  and  the  distress  of  their  readers.  I 
want  him  to  meet  men  and  women  who  have  known 
what  life  is  by  their  own  experiences.  You  ought 
to  be  worth  something  to  a  bright  writer,  Walker. 
You  have  had  many  an  adventure  in  your  day." 


TITIAN   TH-EflftSt.  59 

Mr.  Walker  Boggs  shrugged  his  fhoulders. 

"In  my  '  day,' yes,  he  assented.  "Enough  to  fill 
the  Astor  and  Lenox  libraries  and  leave  enough  for 
Charlie  Dillingham  and  The  American  News  Com- 
pany. But  that  is  nothing  but  history  now.  My 
'  day  '  is  over  and  it  will  never  return." 

He  paused  and  ran  his  right  hand  dejectedly 
across  his  vest  in  the  vicinity  of  the  waist  band. 
Though  he  knew  perfectly  what  Mr.  Boggs  referred 
to,  Archie  Weil  wanted  him  to  express  it  in  his  own 
words  to  Shirley. 

"You  wouldn't  think,"  continued  Mr.  Boggs,  after 
a  pause  which  seemed  filled  with  strange  emotions, 
"that  my  figure  was  once  the  admiration  of  every 
lady  who  saw  it,  that  they  used  to  stop  and  gaze  at 
me  with  eyes  of  positive  envy.  And  now — look 
at  this ! " 

He  indicated  his  embonpoint  again,  and  shook  his 
head  wrathfully. 

"It  is  simply  damnable,"  he  continued,  as  neither 
of  the  others  thought  best  to  interrupt  him.  "  When 
I  was  twenty-four  I  had  a  reputation  that  was  as 
wide  as  the  continent.  When  I  walked  down  Broad- 
way you  would  have  supposed  a  procession  was 
passing,  the  crowds  gathered  in  such  numbers.  If  it 
was  mentioned  that  I  would  spend  a  week  at  Sara- 
toga or  Newport,  the  hotels  had  not  a  room  to  spare 
while  I  remained.  The  next  year  I  married,  and  as 
one  of  the  fashion  journals  put  it,  two  thousand 
women  went  into  mourning.  For  a  decade  I  de- 
voced  myself  entirely  to  my  wife  and  to  business.  I 
made  some  money,  and  kept  out  of  the  public  eye. 


Then  my  wife  died,  and  I  retired  from  the  firm  with 
which  I  had  been  connected.  The  next  twelve 
months  dragged  terribly.  I  did  not  know  what  to 
do.  Finally  I  decided  that  there  was  but  one  course 
open  to  me.  I  must  resume  again  the  position  I  had 
vacated  as  a  leader  of  fashion." 

Mr.  Weil  bowed,  as  if  to  say  that  this  was  a  very 
natural  and  praiseworthy  conclusion  ;  precisely  as  if 
he  had  not  heard  the  story  told  in  substantially  the 
same  way  a  dozen  times  before.  He  was  watching 
Roseleaf's  interested  expression  and  had  difficulty 
in  repressing  an  inclination  to  laugh  aloud. 

"  I  sought  out  the  best  tailor  in  the  city,"  contin- 
ued Mr.  Boggs.  "I  went  to  the  most  fashionable 
hair  dresser.  I  spent  considerable  time  in  selecting 
hats,  cravats  and  gloves.  When  all  was  ready  I 
took  a  stroll,  as  I  had  done  in  the  old  days,  from 
Fiftieth  street,  down  Fifth  Avenue  and  Broadway  to 
Union  Square.  I  met  a  few  acquaintances  who 
stared  at  me  slightly,  but  did  not  act  in  the  least 
impressed.  The  women  merely  glanced  up  and 
glanced  away  again.  What  was  the  matter  ?  I 
went  home  and  took  a  long  survey  of  myself  in  the 
mirror,  a  cheval  glass  that  showed  me  from  crown 
to  toe.  My  costume  was  perfect.  There  was  not  a 
wrinkle  in  my  face — this  was  several  years  ago,  re- 
member. There  was  not  a  gray  hair  in  my  head 
then — there  are  a  few  now,  [  admit.  *  What  is  it  Y 
I  asked  myself  a  hundred  times  as  I  stood  there, 
ttudying  out  the  cursed  problem.  Mr  tie  was  all 
right,  my  shirt  front  of  the  latest  cut,  my  watch  chain 


WITH  TITIAIf  TBHSSEg.  51 

straight  from  Tiffany's,  my — ah  !  I  saw  it  all  in  a 
moment!" 

Roseleaf,  who  did  not  see  it  even  yet,  wore  such  an 
astonished  expression  that  Mr.  Weil  had  to  stuff  his 
napkin  into  his  mouth  to  prevent  an  explosion. 

"  It  was  this  devilish  abdomen  !"  said  Mr.  Boggs, 
slapping  that  portion  of  his  frame  as  if  he  had  a  spe- 
cial grudge  against  it  and  would  be  glad  if  he  could 
hit  it  hard  enough  to  bring  it  to  a  realizing  sense  of 
its  turpitude.  "  My  figure  had  gone  to  the  devil  !  It 
was  not  as  large  as  it  is  now,  but  it  was  large  enough 
to  cook  my  gruel.  My  waist  had  increased  so  grad- 
ually that  I  had  never  noticed  it.  I  got  a  tape  and 
took  its  measure.  Forty-two  inches,  sir  !  The  jig 
was  up.  With  a  heart  as  young  as  ever,  with  a  face 
as  good  and  a  purse  able  to  supply  all  reasonable 
demands,  I  was  knocked  out  of  the  race  on  the  first 
round  by  this  adipose  tissue  that  no  ingenuity  could 
hope  to  conceal  !" 

Mr.  Weil  could  wait  no  longer.  His  musical  laugh 
rang  out  over  the  room. 

"Let  this  be  a  warning  to  you,  Shirley,"  he  said, 
"  to  wear  corsets." 

"  It  is  no  joke,"  was  the  ind'gnant  comment  of  Mr. 
Walker  Boggs,  as  he  proceeded  to  add  to  his  rotun- 
dity by  devouring  the  hearty  breakfast  that  the  waiter 
had  just  brought  him.  "  I  am  left  like  a  marooned 
sailor  on  the  sea  of  life.  The  only  occupation  that 
could  have  entertained  me  is  gone.  It  is  no  time  to 
enter  business  again,  I  couldn't  have  selected  a  wiser 
one  to  leave  it.  I  don't  want  to  marry,  once  was 
enough  of  that.  The  only  women  I  can  attract  are 


0V  A   BLACK    ADONT8. 

those  commercially  inclined  females  that  any  other 
man  could  have  as  well  as  I.  What  is  the  result? 
My  life  is  ruined.  I  take  no  pleasure  in  anything. 
I  eat,  walk  about,  go  to  a  play,  sleep.  A  pig  could 
do  as  much  ;  and  a  pig  would  not  have  these  mem- 
ories to  haunt  him,  these  recollections  of  a  time  so 
different  that  I  am  almost  driven  wild." 

Roseleaf  felt  a  sincere  pity  for  the  unfortunate 
gentleman,  and  did  not  see  the  slightest  element  of 
humor  in  his  melancholy  recital.  But  Archie  Weil 
could  not  be  restrained. 

"  You're  right  about  that  pig  business,"  he  re- 
marked. "  You  recall  the  incident  in  Mother  Goose, 
where — 

•  A  little  pig  found  a  fifty  dollar  note. 
And  purchased  a  hat  and  a  very  fine  coat.' 

"  There  are  strange  parallels  in  history." 

Mr.  Boggs  would  have  replied  to  this  remark  in  the 
terms  it  deserved  had  he  not  been  too  much  engaged 
at  the  moment  in  masticating  a  particularly  fine 
chop.  As  it  was  he  growled  over  the  meat  like  a 
mastiff  in  bad  humor. 

"  Are  there  no  remedies  for  excessive  accumula- 
tion of  fat  in  the  abdominal  region  ?"  asked  Weil, 
taking  his  advantage.  "  It  seems  to  me  I  have  read 
advertisements  of  them  in  the  newspapers." 

"  Remedies  !"  retorted  the  other,  having  swallowed 
the  food  and  supplemented  it  with  a  glass  of  ale. 
"  There  are  a  thousand,  and  I  have  tried  them  all.  I 
have  taken  things  by  the  gross.  I  have  paid  money 
to  every  quack  I  could  find.  For  awhile  I  starved 
myself  so  nearly  to  death  that  I  went  to  making  my 


WITH   TITIAN   TBK88BS.  63 

will.  And  every  day  I  grew  stouter.  I  don't  know 
what  I  measure  now,  and  I  don't  care.  A  few 
fathoms  more  or  less,  doesn't  count,  when  one  falls 
from  a  steamer  in  midocean." 

Mr.  Weil  took  occasion  to  say  that  there  was  no 
need  for  this  extreme  discouragement.  A  little  coin 
in  the  hand,  or  a  new  diamond  ring,  would  still  bring 
youth  and  beauty  to  his  disconsolate  friend. 

"  That's  just  it,"  retorted  Boggs.  "  It's  the  con- 
trast that's  killing  me.  The  only  women  who  would 
*ook  at  me  to-day  are  mercenary  ones  that  wouldn't 
care  if  I  was  black  as  Othello  or  big  as  George  IV. 
Why,  I  could  show  you  a  trunkful  of  letters,  written 
me  by  the  finest  women  in  this  country,  when  I  was 
at  my  best.  They  breathe  but  one  thing — love,  love, 
love  !  I  lived  on  it  !  It  was  the  air  that  kept  my 
lungs  in  motion.  And  I  thought  to  go  back  to  it  so 
easily  !  Ah  /" 

Mr.  Boggs  commenced  upon  his  fourth  chop  and 
emptied  the  last  of  the  quart  bottle  into  his  glass. 

"Well,  I'm  sorry  for  you,"  said  Weil.  "I  think 
the  times  must  have  changed,  as  well  as  yourself, 
though.  Now,  here's  a  young  fellow,  with  all  the 
qualifications  of  face,  figure  and  address  that  you 
once  had,  and  he  claims  to  be  unable  to  make  the 
acquaintance  of  a  single  interesting  woman  between 
Brooklyn  Bridge  and  Spuyten  Duyvil." 

The  heavy  eyes  of  Mr.  Walker  Boggs  rested  upon 
the  youthful  face  opposite  to  him.  Under  the  scru- 
tiny to  which  he  was  subjected  Roseleaf  reddened,  in 
the  way  he  bad.  He  had  never  looked  more  hand- 
some. 


£4  4    PLACE!    ADONIS. 

"  This  is  evidently  a  jest  of  yours,"  said  Boggs, 
turning  to  Mr.  Weil. 

**  Not  in  the  least,  I  assure  you." 

"Then  I  say  he  can  do  what  he  likes,  and  I  know 
it,"  replied  the  stout  man.  "If  I  had  his  form  I'd 
have  to  ask  the  police  to  clear  the  way  for  me.  I 
have  seen  circulation  impeded  in  front  of  this  very 
hotel  b  cause  I  was  coming  out  to  take  my  carriage. 
If  he  won't  look  at  them,  why,  of  course,  the  women 
can't  do  it  all,  but  it  lies  with  him." 

Roseleaf's  eyes  glistened  with  a  strange  mixture 
of  hope  and  fear.  He  did  not  think  he  would  care 
to  be  in  such  great  demand  as  that,  but  he  dearly 
wished  to  break  through  the  iron  bars  that  enclosed 
him.  He  glanced  in  a  glass  that  paneled  the  wall 
near  by.  He  was  good-looking  enough,  it  was  no 
vanity  to  say  so.  What  he  lacked  was  confidence. 

"  He  is  afraid  of  them,  that's  his  trouble,"  smiled 
Weil.  "We  vill  cure  him  of  that,  and  when  he  gets 
to  know  women  as  they  are  he  will  give  us  a  novel 
that  will  set  all  creation  by  the  ears.  Gouger — you 
know  Gouger — says  he  writes  the  purest  English. 
All  he  needs  is  a  taste  of  life." 

To  this  Mr.  Boggs  gave  his  unqualified  assent. 
And  he  added  that  it  he  could  be  of  any  service  in 
the  matter  he  would  only  be  too  glad. 

"  We  thank  you  for  the  offer,  and  may  be  able 
later  to  make  use  of  it,"  said  Mr.  Weil.  "And  now 
good-morning,  for  we  have  important  business  to 
attend  to." 

Roseleaf  looked  long  and  earnestly  at  the  person 
they  were  leaving.  He  seemed  to  him  a  very 


,  STUDYING  MISS  MILUOEHT.  65 

ordinary  individual.  If  such  a  man  had  won  the 
love  of  scores  of  beautiful  women,  surely  he  him- 
self could  gain  the  affections  of  one.  When  he  stood 
with  Weil  in  front  of  the  hotel,  by  which  an  un- 
rivaled procession  of  ladies  and  gentleman  was 
already  beginning  to  pass,  though  it  was  only  eleven 
o'clock,  he  felt  much  encouraged. 

"  They  are  looking  at  you,"  whispered  Archie, 
"  plenty  of  them.  Did  you  see  those  two  girls  in 
pink  in  that  landau  ?  Why,  they  nearly  broke  their 
necks  to  get  the  last  glimpse  of  you.  There  is- 
another  lady  who  would  stop  if  you  asked  her,  pretty 
as  any  of  them,  though  she  must  be  nearly  thirty. 
Your  eyes  are  not  open.  Ah,  here  is  something 
better  !  In  that  carriage,  with  the  Titian  tresses  !" 

It  was  Miss  Millicent  Fern,  and  she  bowed  to  Mr. 
Weil.  Then  her  bright  eyes  lit  up  with  a  new  lustre 
as  they  fell  upon  his  companion. 


CHAPTER  V. 

STUDYING   MISS  MILLICENT. 

When  Mr.  Weil  made  his  appearance  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Mr.Wilton  Fern,  the  door  was  opened  for  him 
by  a  young  negro  of  such  superb  proportions  that  the 
caller  could  not  help  observing  him  with  admiration. 
He  thought  he  had  never  seen  a  man  more  perfectly 
formed.  The  face,  though  too  dark  to  suggest 


66  4.   BLACK   ADONIS. 

the  least  admixture  of  Caucasian  blood,  was  well 
featured.  The  lips  were  not  thick  nor  was  the  nose 
flat,  as  is  the  case  with  so  many  of  the  African  race. 
The  voice,  as  the  visitor  heard  it,  was  by  no  means 
unpleasant.  Mr.  Weil  could  not  imagine  a  better 
model  for  an  ebony  statue  than  this  butler,  or  foot- 
man, or  whatever  position,  perhaps  both,  he  might 
be  engaged  to  fill. 

"Yes,  sir,  Miss  Millicent  is  in,  and  she  is  expect- 
ing you,"  said  the  negro,  in  his  pleasant  and  strong 
tones.  "  Let  me  take  your  hat  and  stick.  Now,  sir, 
this  way." 

T^JP  Miss  Fern  came^Tn  a  few  momentsVo  the  parlor, 
'  where  Archie  was  left,  and  greeted  him  most  cordi- 
ally. 

"  There  is  a  sitting-room  on  the  next  floor,"  she 
said,  "  where  we  shall  not  be  disturbed.  I  have 
given  Hannibal  orders  to  admit  no  one,  saying  that 
we  shall  want  the  evening  entirely  to  ourselves." 

"  Hannibal  ?"  repeated  the  visitor.  "  Is  that  the 
name  of  the  remarkable  individual  who  received  me 
just  now  ?" 

"Yes,"  said  Miss  Fern,  rather  coldly.  "  Though  I 
do  not  know  why  you  call  him  '  remarkable."' 

"  He  is  so  tall,  so  grand,  so  entirely  overpower- 
ing," explained  Mr.  Weil.  "  One  would  think  he 
might  be  the  son  of  an  African  king.  I  never 
saw  a  black  man  that  gave  me  such  an  impression  of 
force  and  power." 

Millicent  elevated  her  eyebrows  a  little,  as  it 
annoyed  at  these  expressions.  She  answered,  still 
(rigidly,  that  she  had  noticed  nothing  unusual  about 


KISS  MILLICEWT.  67 

Hannibal.  She  did  not  believe  she  had  looked 
closely  enough  at  his  face  to  be  able  to  identify  him 
in  a  court." 

"  He  would  make  a  fine  character  for  a  novel," 
said  Mr.  Weil,  as  they  walked  together  up  the  broad 
staircase.  "  I  could  almost  write  one  myself,  around 
such  a  personality." 

The  young  lady  looked  disgusted. 

"  A  negro  servant  !"  she  exclaimed.  "  What  kind 
of  a  novel  could  you  write  with  such  a  central 
figure  ?" 

"  Perhaps  I  should  not  put  him  in  the  centre," 
laughed  Archie,  determined  to  win  her  good  nature. 
"  Every  story  needs  lights  and  shades.  You  can't 
deny  that  he  would  cast  a  magnificent  shadow." 

The  humor  of  this  observation  struck  Miss  Fern 
and  she  joined  mildly  in  her  companion's  mirth. 
Then  she  remarked  that  the  central  figure  of  a  novel 
• — the  main  tiling  in  it — to  her  mind,  should  be  a 
being  who  could  be  given  the  attributes  of  beauty 
and  grace.  The  minor  characters  were  of  less 
account,  and  would  come  into  existence  almost  of 
their  own  accord. 

"  And  now,  before  we  do  anything  more,"  she 
said,  "  I  want  you  to  tell  me  about  that  excessively 
handsome  young  man  that  I  saw  with  you  yesterday 
in  Madison  Square." 

Weil  was  delighted  at  this  introduction  of  his 
young  friend.  He  began  a  most  flattering  account 
of  Shirley  Roseleaf,  describing  him  as  a  genuine 
paragon  among  men,  both  in  talent  and  goodness. 
He  drew  heavily  on  his  imagination  as  he  proceeded, 


'6§  A  BLACK   ADOHIS. 

j 

feeling  that  he  was  "  in  for  it,"  and  might  as  well  do 
his  best  at  once.  And  he  could  see  the  cheek  of  the 
young  listener  taking  on  a  new  and  more  enticing 
color  as  he  went  farther  and  farther  into  his  sub- 
Ject. 

"  If  I  have  to  rearrange  my  novel — the  one  Mr. 
Gouger  rejected — I  shall  draw  my  hero  after  that 
model,"  she  cried,  when  he  paused  for  breath.  "  I 
never  saw  a  man  who  came  so  near  my  ideal." 

"  But — you  would  have  to  alter  your  hero's  char- 
acter, in  that  case  ?"  he  said.  "  I  have  read  your 
MSS.,  and  your  description  does  not  tally  with  my 
young  friend  at  all." 

Miss  Fern  reddened. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  claim,  do  you,"  she  replied, 
"  that  physical  beauty  and  moral  goodness  always 
go  hand  in  hand  ?" 

"  They  should,"  he  answered,  in  a  tone  that  was 
meant  to  be  impressive. 

"  Ah,  that  is  another  question  !  Do  they  ?  that  is 
all  the  novelist  needs  to  know.  Did  you  ever  read 
Ouida's  '  Sigma  ?'  There  are  the  two  sisters,  one  as 
pure  as  can  be,  the  other  quite  the  opposite,  and  the 
beauty  belongs  to  the  depraved  one.  I  know  Oscar 
Wilde  takes  a  different  view  in  '  Dorian  Grey,'  but 
he  is  wrong.  I  am  sure  that  the  worst  man  or  wom- 
an in  the  world — reckoning  by  what  are  called  the 
'  amiable  vices  ' — might  be  the  most  lovely  to  look 
upon,  the  most  delightful  to  associate  with.  Eve 
found  the  serpent  attractive,  remember." 

Where  did  she  learn  all  these  things  ?   Weil  looked 


STUDYING   MISS   MILLICENT.  69 

at  her  with  increasing  astonishment.  "Amiable 
vices."  He  liked  the  appellation. 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,"  he  assented,  as  if  slowly 
convinced.  "  If  you  wish  to  be  acquainted  with 
Mr.  Roseleaf,  I  will  bring  him  here  with  pleasure. 
My  only  fear  is  that  he  will  not  interest  -you.  He 
seems  almost  too  perfect  for  earth.  Think  of  a 
young  man  who  knows  nothing  of  women,  who  says 
he  has  no  idea  what  it  is  to  be  in  love,  who  does  not 
understand  why  the  ladies  who  pass  down  Fifth 
Avenue  turn  their  heads  to  look  at  him  !  He,  like 
yourself,  is  a  novelist,  but  his  characters  are  beauti- 
ful images  that  lack  life.  He  carves  marble  figures 
and  attempts  to  palm  them  off  as  flesh  and  blood. 
He  really  thinks  they  are,  because  he  has  never 
known  the  difference.  If  you  could  take  him,  Miss 
Fern,  and  teach  him  what  love  really  is — " 

The  young  lady  blushed  more  than  before. 

"/ — "  she  stammered. 

"  In  a  strictly  literary  way,"  he  explained.  "  But," 
he  added,  thinking  he  was  getting  upon  the  edge  of 
a  quicksand,  "  we  must  not  forget  the  object  of  my 
visit." 

He  took  the  parcel  containing  her  MSS.  that  he 
had  obtained  from  Mr.  Gouger,  and  began  to  untie 
the  string.  Manlike  he  soon  had  it  in  a  hard  knot, 
and  Miss  Millicent,  coining  to  his  rescue,  her  young 
hands  touched  his  and  made  his  heart  beat  faster. 

"  There,"  she  said,  when  the  knot  had  given  way 
to  their  joint  endeavors.  "  It  is  all  right,  now.  But, 
before  we  begin  on  this,  tell  me  a  little  more  about 
Mr.  Roseleaf.  What  has  he  written  ?  Where  was  it 


70  A  BLAGS  AJD01TIS. 

published  ?  I  will  send  to-morrow  morning  and  buy 
a  copy." 

Her  enthusiasm  was  agreeable  under  the  circum- 
stances, but  the  truth  had  to  be  explained  to  her. 

"  What  he  has  written  I  will  let  you  see,  one  of 
these  days,"  he  replied.  "  As  for  publishing,  he  ran 
upon  the  same  rock  that  you  did — that  of  Mr. 
Lawrence  Gouger." 

The  beautiful  eyes  opened  wider. 

"  So  he  rejected  his  work,  too  !  And  yet  you  say 
that  it  was  well  done?" 

"  Exquisitely.  Shirley's  lines  are  as  symmetrical  as 
his  face  and  figure.  His  people  are  dead,  that  is  all 
the  trouble.  Gouger  scented  the  difficulty  under 
which  he  labors,  in  a  moment.  '  Go  and  fall  in  love  !' 
he  said  to  him,  '  and  you  will  write  a  story  at  which 
the  world  will  marvel  !'  " 

Miss  Fern  arranged  one  of  her  locks  of  Titian  red 
that  had  fallen  down. 

"  And  hasn't  he  taken  the  advice  ?"  she  inquired, 
in  a  low  voice. 

"  Not  yet,"  smiled  the  other.  "  He  says,  like  a 
very  child,  that  'he  cannot  find  any  one  to  love.'  I 
walked  up  the  avenue  with  him  to-day,  and  after- 
wards rode  in  the  Park.  There  were  hundreds  of 
the  prettiest  creatures,  all  looking  their  eyes  out  at 
him.  And  he  hadn't  the  courage  to  return  one 
glance,  not  one.  Ah,  Miss  Fern,  it  will  be  genuine 
love  with  Shirley  Roseleaf,  if  any.  The  imitations 
one  finds  in  the  fashionable  world  will  never  answer 
for  him." 

The  young  lady  breathed  a  gentle  sigh,  as  her 


STUDYING  MI88   MILLIOENT.  71 

thoughts  dwelt  on  the  handsome  figure  she  had  seen 
in  front  of  the  Hoffman  House. 

"  You  may  bring  him  here — yes,  I  should  be  glad 
to  have  you,"  she  said,  slowly.  "  But  I  must  ask 
one  favor  ;  do  not  tell  him  what  I  said  so  thought- 
lessly about  his  being  my  ideal.  Let  me  talk  with 
him  on  fair  terms.  It  may  be,  as  you  suggest,  that 
we  shall  be  of  advantage  to  each  other.  When  can 
you  arrange  it  ?" 

"Almost  any  day,"  smiled  Weil.  "I  will  let  you 
know,  by  mail  or  otherwise.  And  now,  this  story 
of  yours,"  he  added,  thinking  it  a  shrewd  plan  to 
divert  her  attention  from  the  other  matter  while  it 
was  still  warm  in  her  mind.  "  Though  I  have  read 
it  through,  and  think  I  understand  it  fairly  well,  I 
am  all  the  more  anxious  to  hear  it  from  your  lips. 
You  will  put  into  the  text  new  meanings,  I  have  no 
doubt,  that  have  escaped  my  observation." 

Miss  Fern  flushed  pleasantly  and  inquired  with  a 
show  of  anxiety  whether  Mr.  Weil  had  found  its 
construction  as  bad  as  his  friend,  Mr.  Gouger,  had 
intimated. 

"  To  be  perfectly  honest,  it  might  be  improved," 
he  replied.  "  But  the  germ  is  there,  Miss  Fern — 
that  necessary  thing  for  a  good  novel — an  interest 
that  will  hold  the  reader  in  spite  of  himself.  I 
disagree  with  Lawrence  in  his  essential  point.  I  am 
sure  that  a  good  writer  of  English  with  a  taste  for 
fiction  could  make  all  the  necessary  alterations  with- 
out in  the  least  detracting  from  the  value  of  the 
story.  For  instance,  I  believe  if  Mr.  Roseleaf  would 


7fc  JL  BLACK    ADONIS. 

take  hold  of  it  I  could  guarantee  to  get  you  a  pub, 
lisher  this  winter." 

"And  do  you  think  he  would?"  she  cried. 

"  I  think  so." 

The  authoress  was  so  delighted  with  this  announce- 
ment that  she  conquered  the  slight  wound  to  hev 
pride.  It  would  be  herself  still  who  had  drawn  the 
picture,  who  had  put  the  coloring  into  it  ;  all  that 
the  other  would  have  to  do  might  be  described  as 
varnishing.  She  took  up  the  first  sheet  of  her  writ- 
ing, and  turned  up  an  oil  lamp  that  stood  upon  the 
table  at  her  elbow,  the  better  to  see  the  lines. 

"Are  you  ready  ?"  she  asked. 

"Quite  ready,"  smiled  Mr.  Weil. 

In  a  voice  that  trembled  a  little,  and  yet  not  un- 
pleasantly to  the  listener,  Miss  Fern  began  to  read 
her  manuscript.  The  opening  chapter  introduced 
the  heroine  and  two  gentlemen,  either  one  of  whom 
might  be  the  hero.  As  the  book  is  now  so  well  known 
it  is  needless  to  transfer  its  features  to  these  pages. 

Presently  the  authoress  paused  and  seemed  to 
wait  for  her  guest's  criticism. 

"  That  is  one  chapter,"  she  said. 

"  Yes.  I  remember.  And  the  second  one  is  where 
Algernon  begins  to  disclose  a  very  little  of  his  true 
nature.  Shall  we  not  have  that  now  ?" 

"As  you  like.  I  thought  perhaps  you  would  give 
me  advice  as  we  proceeded,  some  fault-finding  here 
and  there,  a  suggestion  of  alterations." 

He  shook  his  head  affably. 

"  Not  yet,"  he  answered.  "  Up  to  this  point  I  see 
nothing  that  requires  condemnation." 


8TODYING   MISS  M1LLIOENT.  73 

*•  Nor  praise,  perhaps  ?"  she  said,  in  a  low  tone. 

"That  might  be  true,  also,"  he  replied.  "The 
first  chapter  of  a  novel  is  only  the  laying  of  the  cloth 
and  the  placing  of  a  few  dishes.  The  viands  that 
form  the  meal  are  still  in  the  kitchen." 

She  smiled  at  the  simile. 

"  But  even  the  laying  of  the  cloth  is  important," 
she  said. 

"  Your  cloth  is  laid  most  admirably,"  he  answered. 
"And  now  we  will  have  the  castor,  which  in  this 
case,  I  believe,  contains  a  certain  quantity  of  mus- 
tard and  red  pepper." 

At  this  she  laughed  the  more,  and  glanced  through 
a  few  of  the  sheets  in  her  hands  before  she  spoke 
again. 

"  Did  you  form  any  opinion  about — about  me 
— from  this  story  ?"  she  asked,  constrainedly.  "  Did 
you,  in  brief,  think  it  had  taken  a  bold  girl  to  write 
it?" 

He  hesitated  a  moment. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  at  last.  "A  bold  girl,  a  daring 
girl,  a  brave  girl.  Not  one,  however,  whose  own  con- 
duct would  necessarily  be  like  that  of  the  woman 
she  has  delineated." 

She  was  so  pleased  that  she  put  down  the  MSS. 
and  leaned  toward  him  with  both  hands  clasped  to- 
gether. 

"  You  are  very,  very  kind,"  she  said,  impres- 
sively. 

"No,  merely  truthful,"  he  replied.  "  With  your 
permission  I  want  to  retain  that  last  quality  in  all 
my  conversations  with  you.  When  you  ask  me  a 


74  A   BLACK   ADONTf . 

question  I  wish  to  be  perfectly  free  to  answer  ac» 
cording  to  my  honest  convictions." 

"It  is  what  I  especially  desire,"  she  said,  bright- 
ening. "  No  one  able  to  judge  has  heard  anything 
of  this  story  except  your  friend,  Mr.  Gouger.  I 
know  it  is  bold,  sometimes  I  think  it  is  brazen.  I 
can  cot.ceive  that  there  are  excellent  people  who 
would  say  it  never  should  have  been  written.  To  my 
mind,  the  moral  I  have  drawn  more  than  justifies 
the  plainness  of  my  speech.  You  can  tell  better 
than  I  where  I  have  overstepped  the  proper  bounds, 
if  there  be  such  places.  You  are,  of  course,  a  man 
of  the  world — " 

The  protesting  expression  on  the  face  of  her  com- 
panion arrested  her  at  this  point. 

"  That  depends  on  what  you  mean  by  '  a  man  of 
the  world  ?'  " 

"  It  is  a  common  expression." 

"  And  has  many  definitions.  Before  I  plead  guilty 
to  it,  I  want  to  know  just  how  much  you  intend  by 
it." 

Miss  Fern  put  down  the  page  she  had  taken  up 
and  a  puzzled  look  crossed  her  pretty  face. 

"  You  make  it  hard  for  me  to  explain  myself,"  she 
said.  '*  I  suppose  I  meant — " 

"  Now,  be  as  honest  as  you  asked  me  to  be,"  he 
interrupted. 

"  Well,  then,  I  suppose  you  are  a  roan  like — like 
other  men." 

"  But  there  are  many  kinds  of  other  men." 

The  young  lady  tried  several  times  to  make  her- 
•elf  clearer,  and  then  asked,  with  a  very  pathetic 


KIM  SOLUGEST,  76 

pout,  that  she  might  be  permitted  to  proceed  with 
her  reading,  as  the  hour  was  growing  later.  It  was 
not  a  very  important  point,  any  way,  she  said. 

"  I  cannot  entirely  agree  with  you,"  replied  Archie. 
"  If  you  are  to  be  a  writer  of  fiction,  you  should  not 
consider  any  time  wasted  which  informs  you  in  ref- 
erence to  your  fellow  creatures.  It  is  from  them 
that  you  must  draw  your  inspiration  ;  it  is  their 
figures  you  must  put,  correctly  or  incorrectly,  on 
your  canvas.  Don't  understand  me  as  dictating  to 
you,  my  dear  Miss  Fern.  I  only  wish,  as  long  as  you 
have  referred  to  me,  to  know  of  what  1  am  accused." 

To  this  Miss  Fern  answered,  with  many  pauses, 
that  she  had  not  intended  to  accuse  her  visitor  of 
anything.  And  once  more — with  evident  distress — 
she  begged  to  be  permitted  to  drop  the  matter  and 
return  to  her  reading. 

"  Very  well,"  he  assented,  thinking  he  had  annoyed 
her  as  much  as  was  advisable  for  the  present.  "As 
they  say  in  parliamentary  bodies,  we  will  lay  the 
question  on  the  table,  from  which  it  can  be  taken  at 
some  more  fitting  time.  I  am  as  anxious  as  you  can 
be  to  get  into  Chapter  II." 

She  read  this  chapter  to  the  end,  and  paused  a 
few  seconds  to  see  if  he  had  any  comments  to  make, 
but  he  shook  his  head  without  breaking  silence,  and 
she  went  on  with  the  story.  He  pursued  the  same 
plan  till  the  end  of  the  fifth  chapter. 

"  It  is  interesting,  exciting  and  true,"  he  remarked, 
referring  to  the  closing  scene.  "And  I  cannot  help 
feeling  arise  in  my  brain  the  question  that  Mr. 
Souger  put  when  he  read  it :  How  could  a  young, 


76  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

innocent  girl  like  you  depict  that  situation  with  such 

absolute  fidelity." 

He  had  come  to  the  point  with  a  vengeance.  But 
to  Miss  Fern  his  manner  was  far  more  agreeable 
than  if  he  had  approached  it  by  stealth,  or  in  an 
insinuating  way.  She  had  anticipated  something  of 
the  sort  and  had  tried  to  prepare  herself  to  meet  it. 

"Does  not  nature  teach  us  some  things?"  she 
asked,  speaking  straightforwardly,  though  her  color 
heightened  in  spite  of  her  efforts.  "  Given  a  certain 
condition,  an  intelligent  mind  can  prophesy  results." 

He  shook  his  head  in  mild  disagreement  with 
her. 

"Gouger  is  an  expert,  and  he  denies  this,  as  a  reg- 
ular rule,  at  least.  You  should  have  heard  him 
argue  it  with  Roseleaf.  '  Either  throw  yourself  into 
a  love  affair,'  he  said,  '  or  never  try  to  depict  one.1 
Excuse  me,  Miss  Fern,  you  bade  me  be  frank — " 

She  assented,  with  a  grave  nod  of  her  shapely 
head. 

"You  may  have  been  in  love — I  do  not  ask  you 
whether  you  have  or  not — but  you  cannot  have 
known  personally  of  the  sort  of  love  that  you  have 
depicted  in  these  pages.  I  call  it  little  less  than 
miraculous  that  you  should  draw  the  scene  so  ac- 
curately." 

She  colored  again,  this  time  partly  with  pleasure, 
for  she  was  very  susceptible  to  compliments. 

"  Perhaps  your  statement  may  explain  to  you," 
she  said,  pointedly,  "  what  I  meant  a  few  minutes 
ago  by  calling  you  'a  man  of  the  world/  You 


STUDYING  MISS   MILLICENT.  77 

recognize  at  a  glance  what  I  had  to  construct  from 
my  imagination. 

Archie  Weil's  face  changed  as  he  realized  how 
deftly  he  had  been  caught.  He  had  meant  to  pre- 
tend to  this  girl  that  he  was  more  than  usually  igno- 
rant of  the  nether  side  of  life. 

"  Don't  think  too  badly  of  me  because  I  happen  to 
know  what  is  clear  to  every  man,"  he  said,  impres- 
sively. 

"  To  every  one  ?"  she  answered.  "  To  your  friend, 
Mr.  Roseleaf  ?" 

"Ah  !  He  is  an  exception  to  all  rules.  And  yet, 
Gouger  says  he  can  never  write  a  successful  book 
till  he  is  more  conversant  with  life  than  he  is  at 
present." 

She  looked  troubled. 

"With  life?"  she  echoed.  "With  sin,  do  you 
mean  ?" 

"  With  the  ordinary  things  that  men  know,  and 
ihat  most  of  them  at  some  time  experience." 

Her  bright  eyes  were  temporarily  clouded. 

"  What  a  pity  !"  she  exclaimed. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  for  it  was  his  humor  to  agree  with 
fier.  "  It  is  a  pity." 

There  was  a  pause  of  a  minute,  and  then  she  asked 
if  she  had  read  enough  for  one  evening.  He  an- 
swered that  as  it  was  now  past  ten  o'clock  it  would 
not  be  easy  to  get  much  farther,  and  that  he  would 
come  again  whenever  she  chose  to  set  the  time. 

"You  do  not  say  much  about  my  work,"  she  said, 
anxiously,  as  he  prepared  to  go. 

"  Silence  is  approval,"  he  responded.     **  I  can  talk 


T8  A.  BLACK   ADOK1S. 

it  over  with  you  better  when  you  have  reached  the 
end.  I  have  things  to  say,  and  I  shall  not  hesitate  to 
say  them  then." 

"  When  is  it  most  convenient  to  you  to  come  ?" 
she  inquired. 

"  Any  time,"  he  answered.  "  I  don't  do  much  that 
is  really  useful.  But  wait  till  you  see  Shirley.  He 
will  atone  for  the  shortcomings  you  find  in  me." 

She  repeated  the  word  "  Shirley,"  as  if  to  test  its 
sound. 

"  You  are  your  father's  only  child,  are  you  not?" 
he  asked,  thoughtfully. 

"  No.  I  have  a  sister,  Daisy,  a  little  younger  than 
I." 

"And  has  she  a  literary  turn,  also?" 

"  Not  in  the  least." 

Archie  arose,  and  Miss  Millicent  accompanied  him 
to  the  front  door.  The  tall  negro  came  to  open  the 
portal,  but  Miss  Fern  told  him,  with  the  same  quality 
of  dislike  n  her  tone  which  Weil  had  noticed  before, 
that  he  ne;d  not  wait. 

"  He  is  really  a  magnificent  piece  of  humanity," 
said  Archie,  when  the  man  had  disappeared.  "I 
never  saw  anything  quite  like  him." 

"  You  admire  negroes,  then  ?"  said  the  young  lady, 
almost  impolitely. 

"  I  like  representatives  of  every  race,"  he  answered, 
as  if  not  noticing  her.  "  There  are  interesting  speci- 
mens in  all.  I  number  among  my  acquaintances 
several  Chinamen,  a  Moor,  a  Mexican,  Jews,  Portu- 
guese and  Russians  innumerable.  If  that  fellow 


"  HOW  TBS  WOMEN  STARS  I"  79 

was  not  in  your  employ  I  would  engage  him  to-mor- 
row, merely  as  a  study." 

Miss  Fern  took  the  hand  he  held  out  to  her  and 
set  the  next  meeting  for  Saturday  evening.  Then 
she  said  : 

"If  you  want  Hannibal,  perhaps  papa  would 
oblige  you.  I  certainly  would  do  all  I  could  to  per- 
suade him/' 


CHAPTER  VI. 

"  HOW     THE     WOMEN    STARK  !" 

The  next  day  Archie  Weil  lunched  with  Lawrence 
Gouger.  He  wanted  to  talk  with  his  friend  about 
the  young  author  and  authoress.  Gouger  listened 
with  interest  to  the  story  he  had  to  relate,  and  nod- 
ded approval  when  it  appeared  that  Archie  had  be- 
haved admirably  thus  far  in  relation  to  Miss  Milli- 
cent. 

"  Do  you  know  anything  about  Mr.  Fern  ?"  he 
asked,  when  the  other  had  reached  a  period. 

"  Nothing." 

"  Well,  neither  did  I,  a  week  ago,  but  I  have  taken 
pains  to  inform  myself.  He  is  a  highly  respectable 
elderly  party,  who  deals  in  wool.  He  married  a  very 
beautiful  lady,  who  has  now  been  dead  eight  or  ten 
years  and  he  lives  altogether  in  the  society  of  his 
two  daughters.  If  you  succeed  in  getting  Millicent's 
book  on  the  counters  you  will  earn  his  everlasting 


80  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

gratitude.  They  say  he  is  not  literary  enough  him- 
self to  be  a  judge  of  its  merits,  and  if  she  has  fifty 
copies  to  present  to  the  family  friends  it  will  prob- 
ably be  all  he  will  ask." 

Mr.  Weil  uttered  a  low  whistle. 

"  I  don't  know  what  the  family  friends  will  say  of 
it,"  he  replied,  "  but  I  call  it  pretty  warm  stuff.  If 
the  list  includes  many  prudes  they  will  hardly  thank 
the  girl  for  sending  such  a  firebrand  into  their 
houses." 

"  Pshaw  !"  said  Gouger.  "  The  world  is  getting 
used  to  that  sort  of  thing,  and  they  won't  mind  it  a 
bit.  Besides,  they  will  be  so  lost  in  admiration  of 
their  cousin's  name  on  the  cover  that  they  will  think 
of  nothing  else.  What  did  you  make  out  of  her  ? 
Is  she  as  innocent  as  I  predicted  ?" 

Archie  poured  out  a  glass  of  Bass'  ale  and  sipped 
it  slowly. 

"  Quite,"  he  said,  as  he  put  it  down  on  the  table. 
"  And  she's  no  dunce,  either."  He  went  on  to  tell  of 
the  trap  he  had  fallen  into.  "  I'm  dying  with  impa- 
tience to  get  her  and  Roseleaf  together.  They'd 
make  an  idealic  couple." 

Mr.  Gouger  inquired  what  he  was  waiting  for. 

"  Oh,  I  want  to  do  the  thing  right,"  said  Weil.  "  I 
want  to  learn  her  as  thoroughly  as  I  can,  before  I 
bring  him  upon  the  stage.  It  will  take  three  or  four 
evenings  more  to  hear  the  rest  of  her  novel,  and 
another  to  discuss  it.  I  shall  get  around  to  him  in 
about  a  fortnight,  at  the  rate  things  are  going.  He 
will  keep.  What  do  you  suppose  he  is  doing  now  ? 


"HOW  THE  WOMEN   STAKE !"  81 

Writing  poetry  !  He  sent  a  piece  a  few  days  ago  to 
the  Century>  and  they  accepted  it." 

"  He  will  be  gray  when  it  appears,"  said  the  critic. 
"  It  takes  a  long  time  for  anything  to  see  the  light 
in  that  publication." 

"But  in  this  case  an  exception  will  be  made," said 
Weil.  "They  have  assured  him  that  it  will  come 
out  in  their  very  next  issue.  He  will  be  so  proud  to 
see  his  name  in  print  that  I  expect  to  find  difficulty 
in  holding  him  back.  A  poet  who  appears  in  the 
Century  has  certainly  stepped  a  little  higher  on  the 
ladder." 

The  critic  agreed  to  this,  and  remarked  that  such 
a  man  as  Roseleaf  should  give  his  whole  attention 
to  poetry. 

"  Wait  !"  cried  Archie.  "  Give  him  time.  See 
him  after  he  has  fallen  head  over  ears  in  love  with 
charming  Millicent  Fern.  There  is  something  in 
him,  I  feel  sure,  and  between  that  dear  girl  and 
myself  we  will  bring  it  out.  By-the-way,  there  is  a 
character  I  want  you  to  meet,"  he  added,  as  Mr. 
Walker  Boggs  came  into  the  room.  "You  have 
never  had  the  pleasure,  I  think,  though  you  have 
heard  me  speak  of  him." 

Mr.  Boggs  had  his  attention  attracted  by  a  waiter 
who  was  sent  for  the  purpose  and  came  with  great 
willingness  to  occupy  a  seat  with  Mr.  Weil  and  his 
friend. 

"  We  were  talking  of  a  New  York  merchant  just 
now,"  said  Archie,  when  the  introductions  were 
over,  "and  it  occurs  to  me  that  you,  who  know 
almost  everybody,  may  have  some  knowledge  of 


him.  He  is  in  the  wool  business,  I  hear,  and  I  think 
you  once  told  me  you  had  done  something  in  that 
way.  His  name  is  Wilton  Fern,  and  he  lives  at 
Midlands." 

"Do  I  know  anything  about  him?"  echoed  Mr. 
Boggs.  "  I  should  say  so.  He  was  my  partner  for 
seven  years,  and  I  still  have  a  little  stake  left  in  the 
concern,  on  which  I  am  drawing  interest." 

Mr.  Weil  showed  his  astonishment  at  this  state- 
ment. What  a  very  small  world  it  was,  after  all ! 
Then,  after  pledging  his  friend  not  to  mention  that 
he  had  ever  discussed  the  matter  with  him,  he  went 
guardedly  into  the  particulars  of  Miss  Millicent's 
book,  and  of  his  having  called  at  the  house  for  the 
purpose  of  passing  judgment  upon  it. 

"  I  didn't  know  that  was  in  your  line,"  replied 
Boggs. 

"  Well,  it  was  this  way,"  answered  Archie.  "Mr. 
Gouger's  decision  didn't  exactly  suit  the  young  lady, 
as  it  was  not  very  favorable.  Mine  will  be  quite  to 
her  taste,  as  I  view  her  abilities  in  a  more  favorable 
light.  Now  tell  us  all  about  the  family,  as  the  only 
one  of  them  I  have  met  is  Miss  Millicent.  Why,  this 
is  a  regular  find,  old  man  !  You  should  have  told 
me  a  week  ago  that  you  possessed  all  this  information 
that  I  have  been  aching  to  get  hold  of." 

Thus  adjured,  Mr.  Boggs  entered  upon  his  story. 
From  which  it  appeared  that  he  knew  the  Ferns, 
root  and  branch,  and  had  dined  with  them  dozens 
of  times. 

"  What  sort  of  a  chap  is  the  pater  ?"  asked  Weil. 

"  A  very  well-kept  man  of  n«arly  savtnty,  with  a 


«  BOW  iPHE  WOMEir   8TABB  !"  83 

great  deal  of  what  is  called  'breeding*  in  his  man- 
ner, and  a  face  like  the  portrait  of  a  French  marquis 
cut  out  of  a  seventeenth  century  frame.  He  doesn't 
look  like  a  business  man  at  all,  and  between  our- 
selves he's  not  much  of  a  one.  All  the  money  he 
ever  made — saving  my  apparent  egotism — was  when 
I  was  in  the  concern.  I've  heard  he's  got  a  big 
mortgage  on  his  residence  and  is  going  down  hill 
generally.  Too  bad  ;  nice  fellow  ;  sorry  for  him  ; 
such  is  life." 

Archie  asked  if  Boggs  would  do  him  a  persona! 
and  particular  favor,  if  it  would  not  cause  him  much 
trouble  ;  and  on  being  answered  in  the  affirmative, 
said  he  would  esteem  it  a  great  honor  if  he  could  be 
introduced  to  Mr.  Fern  by  that  gentleman's  former 
business  associate. 

"I  suppose  I  shall  run  across  him  at  Midlands, 
some  evening,"  he  said,  "and  get  one  of  those  pre- 
sentations that  are  the  most  aggravating  things  in 
the  world.  I  don't  want  that  to  happen,  and  the 
best  way,  to  use  an  elegant  phrase,  is  to  take  the 
bull  by  the  horns,  or  in  this  case,  the  sheep  by  the 
tail.  Will  you  make  an  accidental  call  on  him 
to-morrow  afternoon  and  let  me  be  of  the  party  ?" 

Mr.  Boggs  responded  that  he  would  be  delighted. 
And  this  matter  being  settled,  all  parties  could  give 
more  direct  attention  to  their  lunch  than  they  had 
been  doing  for  the  preceding  ten  minutes. 

41  You  must  have  heard  of  my  friend  Boggs,  in  the 
days  when  he  was  a  figure  on  the  streets  of  this 
town,"  said  Weil,  presently,  returning  to  what  he 
knew  was  the  favorite  subject  of  that  personage. 


84  A  BLAflK   ADONIS. 

"  You've  lived  here  for  twenty  years,  and  of  course 
the  name  of  Walker  Boggs  is  familiar  to  you." 

Mr.  Gouger  looked  a  good  counterfeit  of  com- 
plete mystification  for  some  seconds,  and  then  a 
gleam  as  of  sudden  recollection  shot  across  his  face. 

"  Certainly,  certainly  !"  he  said.  "  Mr.  Boggs  was 
what  is  popularly  known  as  a  lady  killer,  if  I  am  not 
mistaken.  You  got  married,  did  you  not,  Mr.  Boggs, 
some  ten  or  eleven  years  ago  ?" 

The  party  addressed  acknowledged  the  practical 
correctness  of  the  date. 

"  Why,  it  comes  back  as  plain  as  day,"  said  the 
critic.  a  The  Iicrald  had  a  page  about  you,  includ- 
ing your  portrait  and  some  verses  by  a  well  known 
poet.  It  said  your  marriage  had  cast  a  gloom  over 
Manhattan  Island  and  some  of  the  up-river  coun- 
ties." 

Mr.  Boggs  gloomily  nodded,  to  show  that  the 
statement  was  true.  Then  he  touched  his  most 
rotund  portion  with  a  significant  look. 

"  I'm  a  widower  now,"  he  said,  "  and  nothing  but 
this — this — stands  in  my  way.  As  Shakespeare  says, 
*'Tis  not  as  deep  as  a  well,  nor  as  wide  as  a  church 
door,  but —  '  The  ladies  never  look  at  me  now,  and 
all  on  account  of  this  d — d  flesh,  which  hangs  like 
a  millstone  around  my  neck." 

Cutt  &  Slashem's  critic,  ignoring  the  peculiar 
character  of  the  metaphor  used,  remarked  politely 
that  he  thought  no  lady  of  sense  would  put  great 
Stress  on  such  an  insignificant  matter. 

"  Insignificant !"    echoed    Boggs.      "  I'll    bet   it's 


"BOAT  THB  WOMEW  STAKE  I*  86 

fifty  inches  around,  come  !  And  it's  not  the  *  ladies 
of  sense*  I'm  after.  Quite  the  contrary." 

One  of  Archie  Weil's  explosive  laughs  followed 
this  statement,  which  caused  an  expression  of  mild 
injury  to  settle  over  the  countenance  of  Mr.  Boggs. 

"  You're  getting  on  toward  forty,  and  you  ought 
to  quit,"  said  Weil.  "  Confound  the  women  I  Let 
them  go." 

"  That's  well  enough  to  talk  about,"  replied  Boggs, 
gruffly.  "  How  would  you  like  to  follow  your  own 
advice  T 

Weil  uttered  an  exclamation. 

"I?  I  have  precious  little  to  do  with  them,  I 
assure  you.  For  a  man  of  my  correct  habits  I  have 
the  worst  name  of  any  one  I  know.  Everybody  in- 
sinuates things  about  me,  and  they  can  prove  noth- 
ing." 

"  We'll  ask  Isaac  Leveson  about  that,"  sneered 
Boggs.  "  By-the-way,  that  wouldn't  be  a  bad  place 
to  take  young  Roseleaf  to,  when  you  get  to  instruct- 
ing him  in  earnest.  I  met  the  young  fellow  on  the 
avenue  last  night  and  walked  around  with  him  for  a 
couple  of  hours.  He's  a  darling  !" 

"  Roseleaf  ?"  cried  both  the  other  gentlemen,  in 
one  breath. 

"  To  be  sure.  How  the  women  stared  at  him  ! 
I  couldn't  blame  them  ;  his  waist  isn't  over  thirty, 
and  he's  as  handsome  as — as  I  was  at  his  age.  I 
told  him  he  could  have  all  the  loveliness  in  New 
York  at  his  feet,  if  he  liked." 

Weil  smiled  significantly  at  Gouger. 

"  What  did  he  reply  to  that  ?"  he  asked. 


8/5  A  BLACK  JJXUK0. 

44  Oh,  he  had  an  ideal  in  his  head,  and  none  of 
those  we  saw  quite  came  up  to  it  ;  for  I  did  get  him 
to  raise  his  eyes  and  look  at  the  prettiest  ones.  I 
drew  out  of  him  slowly  that  he  would  have  nothing 
to  do  with  a  girl  unless  she  had  red  hair  ;  that — " 

Mr.  Weil  uttered  a  laugh  so  hearty  that  it  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  everybody  in  the  room.  Mr. 
Boggs  paused  to  inquire  the  cause  of  this  outbreak, 
but  Archie  assured  him  that  something  entirely  out 
of  the  present  discussion  had  just  occurred  to  him, 
which  was  to  blame  for  his  impoliteness. 

"  A  girl  must  have  Titian  hair,"  repeated  Mr. 
Boggs,  accepting  the  explanation,  "  or  he  would  not 
consider  her.  He  ruled  out  all  the  striking  blondes 
and  brunettes,  saying  that  he  liked  only  those  of  a 
medium  shade.  We  came  across  one  that  answered 
these  descriptions,  an  exquisite  little  creature  who 
looked  as  if  she  would  swallow  him  could  she  get 
the  chance.  And  then  there  came  out  another  idea. 
He  would  not  think  of  this  fairy  because  she  was  so 
short.  '  I  want  a  woman  five  feet,  four  inches  tall, 
he  said,  as  if  the  article  could  be  made  to  order,  in 
case  the  size  did  not  happen  to  be  in  stock.  Then, 
would  you  believe  it,  he  found  a  girl  embracing 
every  attribute  he  had  mentioned.  Her  hair  was 
just  the  right  shade,  her  height  must  have  hit  the 
mark  exactly,  her  complexion  was  medium.  But  no. 
She  was  too  heavy.  She  would  weigh  a  hundred 
and  forty-five,  he  said,  quite  twenty  pounds  too 
much.  If  we  had  found  a  girl  that  filled  all  his 
description  he  would  have  invented  something  new 
to  bar  her  out  of  the  race." 


BOW  IB*  tttflOBir  STABS  !"  87 


Mr.  Weil  remarked  that  he  was  not  so  sure  of 
Roseleaf  s  insincerity.  He  believed  the  right  worn- 
an  would  yet  be  discovered,  and  that  a  case  of  the 
most  intense  affection  would  then  spontaneously 
develop. 

"  In  fact,"  he  added,  "  I  have  the  identical  crea- 
ture in  mind.  It  is  clear  to  us  —  to  myself  and  Mr. 
Gouger  here  —  that  Shirley  will  never  write  a  thrilling 
romance  till  he  has  fallen  wildly,  passionately  in 
love." 

Mr.  Boggs  smiled  slightly,  and  then  sobered  again. 

14  Shall  you  have  him  marry,  also  ?"  he  inquired, 
pointedly. 

"  Why  not  r 

"  Because  it  will  finish  him  ;  that's  why.  The 
romance  in  a  modern  marriage  lasts  six  weeks.  At 
the  end  of  that  time  he  will  be  useless  for  literary 
purposes,  or  anything  else." 

Mr.  Weil  shook  his  head  in  opposition  to  this  rash 
statement. 

"  My  theory  is,"  said  he,  "  that  a  novelist  should 
know  everything.  To  write  of  love  he  should  have 
been  in  love  ;  to  tell  of  marriage  he  should  have  had 
a  wife  —  a  real  one,  no  mere  imitation  ;  to  talk  of 
fatherhood  intelligently  he  should  become  a  father. 
How  can  he  know  his  subjects  otherwise?" 

The  stout  man  smiled  significantly. 

"  And  if  he  wishes  to  write  of  murder,  he  must  kill 
some  one.  And  if  he  wants  to  depict  the  sensations 
of  a  robber  he  must  take  a  pistol  and  ask  people  to 
stand,  on  the  highway." 

"  Now  you  are  becoming  absurd,"  said  Archie. 


SS  A  BLACK  ADOWIS. 

"  No  more  than  you,"  said  Boggs.  **  You  go  too 
far,  and  you  will  find  it  out.  Let  your  novelist  fall 
in  love.  That  will  do  him  good.  But  don't  let  him 
marry,  or  you  will  lose  him,  mark  my  word.  Let 
him  contemplate  matrimony  at  a  distance.  Let  him 
reflect  on  the  glory  of  seeing  his  children  about  his 
knees.  So  far,  so  good.  But  when  you  have  shelved 
him  with  a  wife  of  the  present  era,  when  you  have 
kept  him  up  nights  for  a  month  with  a  baby  that 
screams — his  literary  capacity  will  be  gone.  Make 
no  mistake !" 

Mr.  Weil,  half  convinced,  and  much  surprised  to 
hear  such  wisdom  from  this  unexpected  source,  made 
an  effort  to  maintain  his  ground. 

"  Nearly  all  the  modern  novelists  are  married,"  he 
remarked. 

"  Yes,  and  nice  stuff  they  write,  don't  they  ? 
Namby-pamby,  silly-billy  stories,  misleading  in 
every  line  !  They  are  the  most  unsafe  pilots  on  the 
shores  of  human  life.  They  start,  without  excep- 
tion, from  false  premises.  Their  chart  is  wrong, 
their  compass  unreliable,  their  reckoning  ridiculous 
from  beginning  to  end.  Where  did  you  ever  see  a 
bit  of  real  life  that  resembled  these  abortions?  Do 
lovers  usually  fall  on  their  knees  when  they  propose  ? 
Is  the  modern  girl  an  idiot,  knowing  less  of  the  facts 
of  nature  than  an  oyster  ?  Is  the  conversation  be- 
tween men  and  women  filled  exclusively  with  twad- 
dle ?  You  would  think  so,  from  reading  these  books  ; 
and  why  ?  They  are  written  by  married  people, 
most  of  them,  people  who  don't  dare  step  over  the 
line  of  the  commonplace  any  more  than  a  woman 


"HOW   THE   WOMEN   STAKE  F*  89 

would  dare  order  her  dressmaker  to  put  pockets  in 
her  gown  !" 

Archie  looked  at  Mr,  Gouger,  who  nodded  a  par- 
tial  approval  of  these  statements.  Mr.  Boggs  be- 
took himself  with  more  interest  to  his  chops.  And 
the  other  two  gentlemen,  remarking  that  time  pressed, 
bade  him  good-by  for  the  day. 

"  I  see  you  agree  with  him  that  I  shouldn't  marry 
Roseleaf  ?"  said  Archie,  with  a  rising  inflection. 

"  There  is  certainly  point  in  what  he  says,"  replied 
Mr.  Gouger. 

"But — confound  it!  With  the  boy's  disposition, 
it  will  be  a  delicate  business,"  retorted  Weil.  "  I 
don't  know  as  I  can  carry  him  to  the  point  of  pas- 
sionate love  for  pretty  Miss  Fern,  and  then  shut  off 
the  steam  when  it  suits  me." 

This  matter  was  discussed  for  the  next  ten  min- 
utes, as  the  friends  walked  along  toward  the  office 
of  Cutt  &  Slashem. 

"I  think  you  are  foolish  to  delay  so  long  intro- 
ducing him  to  her,"  said  Gouger,  finally.  "  I  don't 
see  that  you  are  making  any  progress  whatever." 

"Ah,  but  I  am,"  replied  Weil.  "I  am  making 
both  of  them  more  and  more  anxious  for  the  meet- 
ing. Shirley  walks  the  street  feverishly  impatient, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  mutters  her  name  in  his  dreams, 
Millicent  talks  about  her  ideal  of  manly  beauty. 
When  they  get  together  failure  will  be  impossible." 

Mr.  Gouger  laughed  at  the  idea  that  Roseleaf  was 
"  feverishly  impatient  "  to  meet  any  girl,  and  ven- 
tured to  predict  that  the  young  man  would  have  to 
be  put  in  irons  to  get  him  to  the  residence  of  the 


Ferns  when  the  time  came  ;  or  at  least  to  keep  him 
there. 

"Just  the  point  I  am  working  on,"  replied  Weil. 
"Under  ordinary  circumstances  I  would  have  to 
handcuff  his  wrists  to  mine,  but  I  am  making  such  a 
strong  impression  on  his  imagination  that  he  is 
crazy  to  go.  And  once  she  gets  him  under  hef 
influence — I  tell  you,  Lawrence,  she  is  no  ordinary 
girl." 

"She  certainly  does  not  write  like  one,"  smiled 
the  critic,  "  either  in  her  subject  or  her  English. 
You  may  make  something  of  him — I  rather  think 
you  will — but  not  of  her.  Her  ideas  are  wild,  and 
her  realism  a  little  too  pronounced  even  for  the 
present  age." 

"  She  has  truth  on  her  side,  you  admit,"  said 
Archie. 

"  Yes,  to  a  remarkable  degree." 

"  Well,  that  ought  to  be  something,  if  Boggs* 
estimate  of  the  modern  liar  is  correct.  Shirley  will 
help  her  to  style,  give  her  his  own,  if  necessary.  I 
am  going  to  land  both  of  these  fish,  if  only  to  spite 
you,  Lawrence.  You  tossed  them  away  with  that 
fine  contempt  of  yours,  and  you  will  weep  hot  tears 
for  it  before  you  die." 

At  the  door  of  Cutt  &  Slashem's  they  met  the  two 
members  of  that  firm,  who  paused  to  say  a  word  to 
Mr.  Gouger.  They  were  anxious  for  a  new  book  to 
bring  out  as  soon  as  possible,  and  were  regretting 
with  him  that  nothing  worth  publishing  seemed  to 
present  iuelf. 

•*  You  maj  strain  matters,  if  necessary/'  said  Mr. 


TJEE  WQHBir  M&BBi"  9i 

Cutt.  "We  can't  keep  up  on  reprints  for«rer.  I 
hope  you  made  no  mistake  in  rejecting  that  book  of 
Mrs.  Hotbox.  I  hear  it  is  selling  well." 

Mr.  Gouger's  face  was,  as  ever,  immovable  before 
his  employers. 

"  What '  Fire  and  Brimstone  ?'  he  inquired.  •'  The 
authorities  seized  the  entire  edition  this  morning." 

Mr.  Cutt  looked  at  Mr.  Slashem,  with  a  startled 
expression. 

"  In  that  case,  I  am  glad  we  escaped  it,"  he  said. 
"  We  shouldn't  like  that  sort  of  an  affair,  of  course." 

Mr.  Weil,  who  knew  both  the  gentlemen  well,  in- 
quired what  they  thought  of  Mrs.  Hotbox's  produc- 
tion. 

"  I  have  never  s»en  it,"  said  Mr.  Slashem. 

"  Nor  I,"  said  Mr.  Cutt. 

The  partners  disappeared  into  the  counting-room, 
where  they  had  an  interview  with  a  binder  who  had 
offered  to  do  their  work  at  one-tenth  of  a  cent  a  hun- 
dred copies  less  than  the  concern  with  which  they 
were  then  dealing.  Archie  said  good-by  to  Gouger, 
and  went  off  to  find  Roseleaf,  with  whom  he  had 
engaged  to  take,  later  in  the  day,  a  ride  through  the 
Park. 

"  How  soon  am  I  to  see  your  paragon  ?"  sighed 
the  young  man,  as  they  were  making  the  grand  round 
of  that  famous  drive. 

"  Within  a  week,  I  hope.  Are  you  getting  un- 
easy ?" 

"  I  am  getting  lonesome,"  was  the  gloomy  reply. 
"And  I  want  to  begin  work." 

44  Well,  it  will  soon  pass  now.    To-morrow  evening 


99  A   BLAOK   ADONIS. 

I  am  to  hear  another  installment  of  her  novel.  Two 
more  sittings  after  that  will  finish  it,  I  should  say. 
And  the  next  thing  will  be — you.  But  have  you  seen 
no  one  else  in  all  this  time  that  you  care  for?" 

The  young  man  looked  aimlessly  at  the  fleecy 
clouds  that  hung  low  on  the  horizon. 

"  No,"  he  answered. 

"  And  you  think  you  are  ready  for  a  passionate 
affection,  if  the  right  person  is  found  ?" 

"  I  will  try,"  he  said,  simply. 

Mr.  Weil  roused  himself  and  touched  his  horse  with 
the  whip. 

"  Try  1"  he  echoed.  "  You  will  not  have  to  try. 
She  will  carry  you  off  your  feet,  at  the  first  go. 
Shirley,  I  have  found  you  a  superb  woman,  that  you 
must  love.  All  I  want  to  feel  sure  of  is,  that  you  can 
control  yourself  enough  to  behave  in  a  reasonable 
manner." 

Roseleaf  looked  up  inquiringly. 

"She  belongs  to  an  eminently  respectable  family," 
explained  Archie.  "  Her  father  is  a  gentleman  of 
the  most  honorable  type.  She  has  a  young  sister, 
who — " 

Roseleaf,  slow  at  all  times,  had  at  last  begun  to 
comprehend. 

"  You  surely  don't  think — "  he  began. 

"Ah,  that  is  the  question  !  A  novelist  must  learn 
so  very  much — a  novelist  who  is  to  depict  the  truth- 
as  you  are  to  do.  Where  should  he  stop  ?  What 
experience  should  he  refuse,  provided  it  may  be 
utilized  in  his  work  ?  A  responsibility  that  is  no 
light  one  will  rest  on  me,  my  dear  boy,  when  I  have 


A  DINNER   AT  MIDLANDS.  93 

introduced  you  to  this  family,  and  left  you  to  your 
own  devices." 

Roseleaf's  eyes  opened  wider  at  these  mysterious 
suggestions,  but  he  did  not  like  to  make  any  more 
inquiries.  Weil  changed  the  conversation,  calling 
attention  to  the  women  they  met,  who  turned  their 
handsome  heads  to  look  at  the  young  man,  as  their 
equipages  almost  touched  his. 

"  What  an  awfully  wide  swath  you  are  cutting !" 
was  Archie's  exclamation,  as  the  throng  increased. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  DINNER  AT  MIDLANDS. 

True  to  his  appointment  Walker  Boggs  met  Mr. 
Weil  on  the  following  afternoon,  and  set  out  with 
him  for  Wilton  Fern's  office.  Though  engaged,  as 
has  been  already  stated,  in  the  wool  trade,  Mr.  Fern 
did  not  have  on  the  premises  to  which  these  worth- 
ies repaired  a  very  large  assortment  of  that  product. 
His  warehouses  were  in  another  part  of  the  city,  and 
all  the  wool  that  was  visible  to  his  customers  was 
arranged  in  sample  lots  that  would  easily  have  gone 
into  a  barrel.  Mr.  Weil,  notwithstanding  the  de- 
scription that  Boggs  had  given  of  his  ex-partner, 
was  not  prepared  to  see  such  an  exceedingly  fine 
specimen  of  humanity  as  the  one  introduced  to  him. 


§4  1    BLACK    AlXDXif . 

The  word  "  gentleman  "  was  written  in  large  char- 
acters on  his  broad  forehead  and  in  every  word  he 
spoke.  It  certainly  was  not  often,  said  Archie  to  him- 
self, that  one  encountered  that  sort  of  man  in  business. 

"I  have  already  heard  something  of  you,  sir,"  said 
Mr.  Fern,  affably,  but  with  the  dignity  that  was  a 
part  of  his  nature,  no  more  to  be  discarded  than  his 
eyes.  "  That  is,  if  you  are  the  same  gentleman  that 
has  kindly  offered  to  assist  my  daughter  in  arrang- 
ing a  story  she  has  written." 

Mr.  Weil  admitted  the  correctness  of  the  supposi- 
tion, but  disclaimed  any  special  credit  for  what  he 
had  done.  He  explained  briefly  how  he  was  drawn 
into  the  case.  The  visit  lasted  upwards  of  an  hour, 
during  which  the  conversation  wandered  from  liter- 
ature to  business  and  politics,  and  all  sorts  of  things. 

Mr.  Weil  could  not  tell  from  Mr.  Fern's  manner 
of  alluding  to  his  daughter's  work  whether  he  had  a 
very  high  idea  of  its  value  or  not.  Indeed,  there 
was  very  little  to  be  learned  from  this  grave  gentle- 
man that  was  not  expressed  in  the  language  he  used. 
He  was  inclined,  Archie  thought,  to  reticence,  for 
when  there  was  a  lull  in  the  conversation  it  was 
always  one  of  the  others  who  had  to  start  it  going. 
The  thing  that  might  be  counted  a  substantial  gain, 
out  of  the  whole  affair,  was  an  invitation  to  dinner 
for  the  following  Wednesday,  in  which  Mr.  Roseleaf 
was  included,  and  Mr.  Boggs  also. 

Before  the  Wednesday  set  for  the  formal  dinner  at 
the  Ferns',  Mr.  Weil  had  heard  the  whole  of  Miss 
Millicent's  novel  read  by  the  lips  of  that  charming 
fouog  woman.  There  was  certainly  something  very 


At  KTOLAITM.  fft 

strong  in  it,  in  spite  of  its  grammatical  faults.  It 
would  be  a  very  good  story  when  "  Dr."  Roseleaf 
had  put  it  into  a  little  better  English. 

The  meeting  between  Roseleaf  and  Millicent  was 
most  interesting  to  the  one  who  had  been  the  means 
of  bringing  them  together.  The  girl  put  out  her 
hand  with  a  straightforward  motion  of  welcome,  and 
it  was  accepted  with  something  resembling  timidity 
by  the  young  man,  who  did  not  even  raise  his  eyes 
to  hers.  The  talk  that  followed  was  nearly  all  her 
own,  Shirley's  part  in  it  being  largely  monosyllabic 
replies  to  her  statements  and  suggestions. 

When  Miss  Daisy  was  presented  to  both  the  gen- 
tlemen, for  the  first  time — Mr.  Boggs  she  -emem- 
bered  very  well — she  drew  their  attention  for  a  few 
moments  from  her  sister,  but  soon  relapsed  into  the 
more  insignificant  place  which  she  seemed  to  prefer. 
She  was  not  as  large  in  any  way,  as  Millicent,  and 
did  not  seem  likely  to  become  so.  Her  hair  was  of 
a  soft  shade  of  light  brown,  and  her  eyes  a  decided 
blue.  In  the  presence  of  her  sister  she  did  not  ex- 
pect to  shine,  and  was  evidently  relieved  when  she 
could  go  into  a  corner  and  talk  over  times  long 
past  with  Walker  Boggs. 

Mr.  Fsrn  came  in  rather  late,  but  still  before  the 
hour  announced  for  dinner.  He  had  his  habitual 
look  of  quiet  elegance,  but  withal  an  expression  of 
care  about  his  face,  that  Weil  attributed  to  the  busi- 
ness troubles  of  which  Boggs  had  spoken.  The 
manner  of  the  daughters  toward  him  was  marked  by 
the  watchful  eyes  of  the  chief  conspirator.  Millicent 
m«r«ly  looked  up  and  said,  "  Papa,  this  it  Mr.  ROM- 


96  A  BLACK  ADONIS. 

leaf,  of  whom  we  have  spoken,"  and  then  when  the 
greetings  that  followed  were  exchanged,  went  on 
talking  with  those  about  her  as  if  there  had  been  no 
interruption.  Daisy,  on  the  other  hand,  crept  softly 
to  her  father's  side,  and  putting  an  arm  around  his 
neck,  kissed  him  when  she  thought  no  one  observed 
her. 

*'  You  arc  tired,  papa,"  she  whispered. 

"No,  no!"  he  said,  brightening.  "I  am  very 
well." 

It  was  at  the  table  that  Mr.  Fern  had  his  first  con- 
versation with  Roseleaf,  and  the  two  men  got  along 
nicely  together.  Shirley  acquitted  himself  creditably. 
Weil,  who  saw  everything,  noticed  that  the  negro, 
Hannibal,  in  superintending  the  service  in  the 
dining-room,  lingered  more  about  Miss  Daisy's  chair 
than  any  other,  and  took  extra  pains  to  see  that  her 
wants  were  anticipated.  In  spite  of  this,  however, 
Mr.  Fern  frequently  asked  his  younger  daughter  to 
have  more  of  certain  dishes,  as  if  his  mind  was  con- 
stantly turned  in  that  direction. 

"  How  long  do  you  think  it  will  require  to  do  the 
work  you  have  so  generously  undertaken  ?"  asked 
Mr.  Fern  of  Roseleaf,  when  the  dessert  was  reached. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  say,"  stammered  the  young 
man.  "  Some  weeks,  at  least." 

"So  I  supposed,"  said  Mr.  Fern.  "That  being 
the  case  I  wish  to  tender  you  the  hospitality  of  my 
home.  It  would  be  a  great  deal  of  trouble  for  you 
to  come  every  day  from  the  city,  and  I  know  we 
could  make  you  comfortable  here." 


A  DINNER  AT  MIDLANDS.  97 

Roseleaf  was  about  to  decline  the  offer  with 
thanks,  when  Mr.  Weil  spoke  to  him  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Take  it,  by  all  means,"  he  said.  "  It's  a  chance 
in  a  lifetime.  You  know  nothing  of  family  life. 
Don't  dream  of  refusing." 

The  delay  allowed  Miss  Millicent  to  add  her 
request  to  that  of  her  father,  and  fearing  to  let  his 
protege  answer,  Mr.  Weil  boldly  spoke  for  him. 

"  It  is  a  good  idea,"  he  said.  "  He  will  have  his 
baggage  brought  up  to-morrow.  There's  nothing 
like  being  on  the  ground,  when  there's  work  to  be 
done.  And,  with  the  general  permission,  I  am  going 
to  run  out  pretty  often  myself,  to  see  how  things 
progress." 

The  bright,  off-hand  way  of  the  last  speaker  seemed 
to  please  Mr.  Fern,  for  he  heartily  seconded  this 
suggestion.  When  the  table  was  vacated,  Mr.  Fern 
asked  if  he  might  be  excused  for  a  few  minutes, 
while  he  wrote  a  couple  of  important  letters,  and 
requested  Walker  Boggs  to  show  the  guests  through 
the  grounds,  where  they  could  smoke  their  cigars  till 
he  returned. 

Accordingly  Weil  and  Roseleaf  accompanied  their 
new  guide  out  of  doors  and  across  an  extensive  lawn 
to  an  arbor  at  the  further  end,  where  a  handsome 
prospect  of  the  Hudson  unfolded  itself.  As  Archie 
was  wishing  for  some  feasible  way  of  getting  rid  of 
Boggs,  temporarily,  that  gentleman  espied  an 
acquaintance  in  the  adjacent  road  and  went  off  to 
speak  to  him. 

"  Are  you  in  love  yet,  you  dog  ?"  asked  Archie,  as 
soon  as  he  and  his  young  friend  were  alone.  "  What ! 


98  A   BLACK    AOOffM. 

You're  not !  Don't  let  an  hour  pass,  then,  befora 
you  are.  The  best  of  all  proverbs  is,  *  Never  put  off 
till  to-morrow  what  you  can  do  to-day.' M 

44  How  can  I  do  this  to-day  ?"  was  the  doleful 
response. 

"  How  cam  you  help  it,  you  mean  ?  There  she 
was  at  the  table — Titian  hair,  hazel-grey  eyes,  lovely 
waist — everything.  Love  !  /could  fall  in  love  with 
that  girl,  marry  her,  get  a  divorce  and  commit 
suicide,  within  forty-eight  hours.** 

Even  Roseleaf  had  to  smile  at  this  extravagant 
statement. 

"  Do  you  want  me  to  do  all  of  those  things  ?"  he 
asked. 

"  Only  the  first  one,  at  present.  If  you  can't  do 
that,  give  up  all  ideas  of  being  a  novelist  and  secure 
a  place  in  some  factory  or  counting-room.  Every- 
thing is  ready  for  you.  You  are  persona  grata  here. 
Nothing  can  come  in  your  way.  Oh,  don't  exasper- 
ate me  !" 

Roseleaf  haltingly  said  he  would  do  his  best  ;  and 
the  next  day  he  came  to  Midlands,  prepared  to 
spend  a  month  or  longer. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

HOLDING    HER    HAND. 

For  the  first  three  days  Roseleaf  gave  most  of  his 
time  to  reading  the  MSS.  that  Miss  Fern  had  written. 
He  could  not  say  that  he  liked  it,  exactly,  but  that 
was  not  necessary.  To  fill  in  the  time,  he  consented 
to  let  the  girl  read  his  own  story  that  Gouger  had 
rejected,  though  he  did  this  with  trepidation,  having 
a  dread  that  she  would  think  it  insipid.  When  she 
had  finished  it,  however,  her  delight  was  un- 
bounded. 

"  It  is  lovely!"  she  exclaimed,  in  response  to  his 
inquiring  eyes.  "  I  cannot  see  why  they  refused  it. 
I  haven't  been  so  interested  in  a  story  in  years." 

When  he  had  read  her  story  through  he  began  to 
rewrite  it,  departing  as  little  as  possible  from  the 
original.  As  soon  as  he  had  a  chapter  finished  he 
would  give  it  to  her,  for  comparison,  and  criticism,  if 
she  chose  to  make  any.  She  proved,  however,  a 
most  charming  critic,  her  shafts  falling  mainly  upon 
herself,  for  she  declared  that  her  novel  seemed  un- 
worthy of  its  elegant  new  dress.  She  conceived  a 
shyness  toward  this  quiet  youth,  and  blushed  when 
the  striking  situations  and  bold  language  of  her  talc 
came  into  the  conversation.  It  was  so  different  from 
his  own  work  ! 

•'  It  is  too  bold.  I  am  surt  it  it,"  tha  laid,  repeat- 
edly. "I  ought  to  begin  again.  Mr  plot  has  too 


TOO  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

much  freedom,  too  little  conventionality.  People 
will  say  a  very  strange  girl  must  have  written  it." 

And  he  would  tell  her  that  he  did  not  think  so  ;  that 
the  strength  of  her  ideas  was  very  great,  and  that  the 
public  would  find  excuses  enough  for  anything  that 
interested  and  entertained  it.  He  even  added  that 
he  wished  he  possessed  her  knowledge,  her  insight 
into  life,  her  fearlessness  to  tread  on  any  ground  that 
her  subject  made  desirable. 

Between  them  they  were  doing  very  good  work, 
without  doubt.  Mr.  Weil  took  some  of  the  completed 
chapters  to  Lawrence  Gouger,  who  returned  them 
with  a  smile  that  spoke  volumes.  Cutt  &  Slashem 
would  take  the  story  when  it  was  ready,  if  the  subse- 
quent pages  kept  up  to  the  mark  of  the  first  ones. 

"  Don't  forget  your  own  book,"  said  Gouger,  in  a 
note  he  enclosed  for  Roseleaf. 

Mr.  Weil  was  not  backward  in  accepting  the  cordial 
invitation  he  had  had  to  join  the  Ferns  at  dinner 
whenever  he  could  make  it  convenient.  Besides  this 
he  called  frequently  at  the  wool  office,  and  ingratiated 
himself  into  Mr.  Fern's  good  graces  in  many  ways. 
Within  a  fortnight  he  knew  all  there  was  to  be  known 
about  wool,  in  which  he  seemed  to  have  conceived  a 
great  interest.  In  his  talks  with  Roseleaf  he  spoke 
learnedly  on  this  subject,  referring  to  the  foreign  and 
domestic  staples,  like  one  who  had  made  the  matter 
a  life  study. 

"  What  a  queer  thing  trade  is  !"  he  exclaimed,  on 
one  of  these  occasions.  "  Here  we  find  a  man  who 
ought  to  adorn  an  atelier,  or  a  seat  in  Congress,  and 
yet  is  obliged  to  guide  his  entire  existence  by  the 


HOLDING   HBK   HAND.  101 

price  of  such  a  confoundedly  dull  thing  as  the  hair 
on  a  sheep's  back.  He  votes  a  certain  political  ticket 
on  account  of  the  attitude  of  the  party  on  Wool  ;  he 
dines  off  mutton  and  lambs'  tongues  ;  he  casts  his 
lot  with  the  Sheep  at  church.  I  don't  know  but 
he  would  feel  a  genuine  pleasure  in  having  Wool 
pulled  over  his  eyes.  And  still  I  am  convinced  that 
he  never  ought  to  iiave  been  in  the  Wool  business  at 
all,  and  that  Boggs — what  a  drop — is  right  in  his 
impression  that  it  will  eventually  swamp  him." 

Roseleaf  asked  how  Mr.  Fern  got  into  the  trade  in 
the  first  place. 

"  Well,  as  I  understand  it,  Boggs  was  looking  for  a 
partner.  Mrs.  Fern  had  some  cash  and  her  husband 
wanted  to  put  it  into  a  good  thing,  from  a  financial 
standpoint.  They  did  well  while  they  were  together. 
When  Boggs  pulled  out  they  had  a  clear  $200,000 
apiece.  Boggs — confound  him  ! — has  his  yet ;  Fern 
hasn't.  He's  proud  as  the  devil,  and  didn't  tell  me 
this,  by  any  means.  It  would  break  him  up  com- 
pletely to  have  to  go  into  bankruptcy.  Really,  I 
wish  I  could  do  something  for  him." 

Roseleaf  looked  up  inquiringly. 

"  Why,  I've  got  a  fair  amount  of  money,"  explained 
Archie,  "  and  perhaps  a  lift  over  these  hard  times 
might  be  the  making  of  him.  I'm  not  particularly  a 
philanthropist,  but  I  like  this  fellow  wonderfully 
well  for  such  a  new  acquaintance.  I  shall  give  him 
a  delicate  hint  in  a  day  or  two,  and  if  I  can  fix  things 
without  too  much  risk — we  have  to  protect  ourselves, 
you  know — I  am  willing  to  do  so." 

This  struck  Shirley  Roseleaf  as  rather  odd.    He 


102 

had  ntver  thought  about  Mr.  Weil  in  that  way. 
Whether  he  was  rich  or  poor  had  never  entered  his 
head.  He  began  to  wonder  if  he  was  very  wealthy. 
He  certainly  lived  well,  and  had  no  visible  occupa- 
tion of  the  sort  the  census  takers  call  "  gainful." 

"It  is  an  interesting  family,  though,"  pursued 
Archie,  in  his  rambling  way.  "  I  wish  I  could  get 
into  it  as  you  did,  you  rascal,  and  observe  it  at 
shorter  range.  Even  the  servants  are  worth  study- 
ing. Look  at  that  Hannibal ;  who  can  say  that  the 
African  race  is  inferior  when  it  produces  such 
marvels  !  I  can  hardly  take  my  eyes  off  the  black 
paragon  when  he  is  present.  How  he  passes  the 
soup — as  if  it  were  some  heavenly  decoction,  made 
by  the  gods  themselves  and  sent  to  earth  by 
their  favorite  messenger  !  With  what  grace  he 
opens  the  carriage  door  !  with  what  majesty  he 
mounts  to  his  seat  by  the  driver  !  I  wonder  if  he 
has  a  sister.  She  would  be  worth  a  journey  to  see. 
I  have  met  such  women  on  their  native  soil,  statu- 
esque, slender,  full-breasted,  square-shouldered,  with 
jars  of  water  on  their  heads  and  clinking  silver 
anklets.  What  a  cursed  thing  is  our  American  pre- 
judice against  color  !  No  other  people  carries  it  to 
such  an  extent.  In  the  Latin  Quarter  the  West 
India  blacks  are  prime  favorites  with  the  pretty 
grisettes.M 

The  young  man  could  not  help  a  slight  shiver  at 
this  information.  He  did  not  in  the  least  agree 
with  the  sentiments  his  friend  was  advancing,  but 
neither  did  be  think  it  wise  to  contradict  him. 


KOUOT*   mt  JAN».  IOC 

"  Then  there  is  the  little  one— Miss  Daisy"— con- 
tinued  Weil,  branching  suddenly  into  that  topic. 
"  So  quiet,  so  self-abased,  as  if  she  would  not  for  the 
world  attract  one  glance  that  might  be  claimed  by 
her  elder  sister,  who  is  perfectly  willing  to  be  a 
monopolist  of  attention.  A  nice  girl,  sweet  as  a 
fresh-plucked  lily.  There  must  be  treasures  hidden 
under  all  that  reticence.  Still  waters  run  deep,  the 
silent  swine  devour  the  milk.  I  think  I  ought  to  in- 
vestigate the  child.  If  you  are  to  have  that  aggre- 
gation of  beauty  known  as  Millicent,  what  prevents 
me  from  securing  a  slight  hold  in  the  affections  of 
the  junior  ?" 

Roseleaf  shook  his  head  in  a  way  that  might  have 
meant  almost  anything.  He  never  could  tell  how 
much  in  earnest  his  friend  was  when  he  took  up  a 
vein  like  this.  Neither  could  he  imagine  little  Daisy 
in  the  role  of  an  entertainer  for  such  a  very  wise  man 
as  Archie,  not  only  much  her  senior  but  a  thousand 
times  her  superior  in  knowledge  and  acquaintance 
with  things  that  people  talk  about. 

"  Keep  your  eye  on  her — she  will  be  worth  watch- 
ing," said  Weil,  with  one  of  his  laughs  at  the  sober 
face  before  him.  "  She  is  worth  almost  as  much  to 
a  rising  author  as  the  negro — not  quite,  but  nearly. 
Then  there  is  the  pater-familias  ;  is  there  anything  in 
him  ?  No,  he  will  be  of  no  service  to  you.  And 
that  brings  us  back  to  our  superb  Millicent,  with 
whom  you  must  now  be  wildly  infatuated.'* 

Roseleaf  shook  his  head  again. 

"  No— not  yet,"  he  said. 

0  But,  what  do  you  do  all  the  time  ?    How  can  you 


10f  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

sit  by  the  side  of  a  pretty  girl,  and  kiss  her  cheeks, 
and  put  your  arm  around  her,  and  yet  keep  from 
falling  in  love  ?" 

The  younger  man  gasped  at  each  of  these  sugges- 
tions, like  one  who  has  stepped  into  icy  water  and 
feels  it  gradually  creeping  upward. 

"  I  have  done  none  of  those  things,"  he  faltered. 

"  None  of  them  !  Then  I  shall  not  let  you  stay 
here  !"  cried  Archie.  "  What  does  the  girl  expect? 
That  we  are  going  to  make  her  reputation  in  the 
literary  world  and  get  nothing  for  ourselves  ?  I 
never  heard  such  effrontery  !  She  refuses  to  give 
you  the  least  opportunity,  does  she — the  jade  !'* 

More  and  more  confused  grew  the  other  at  these 
expressions. 

"You  don't  understand — you  are  quite  in  error," 
he  articulated.  "  She — she  has  refused  me  nothing, 
because — because  I  have  asked  nothing." 

Mr.  Weil  uttered  a  disheartened  groan. 

"  But  this  will  not  do,  my  dear  fellow  !"  he  said. 
"  How  can  you  accomplish  anything  unless  you  make 
a  beginning  ?  Rewriting  the  story  that  she  has 
written  will  not  advance  you  one  step  on  the  path 
you  profess  such  anxiety  to  tread  That  is  only  an 
excuse— a  make-believe — a  pretence  under  which 
you  have  been  given  quarters  in  this  house  and 
allowed  every  chance  in  creation  to  learn  your  les- 
son. Are  you  afraid  of  her,  or  what  is  the  matter  ? 
Does  she  overpower  you  with  her  beauty  ?  Tell  me 
where  your  difficulty  lies." 

But  Shirley  could  hardly  answer  these  apparently 
simple  questions.  He  said  he  feared  the  trouble 


HOLDING   HER  HAND.  105 

might  be  in  the  formality  of  the  situation.  How 
could  Mr.  Weil  expect,  he  asked,  that  a  spontaneous 
case  of  love-making  would  develop  from  such  a  con- 
dition of  things. 

"Stuff!"  cried  Archie,  with  a  grimace.  "If  you 
and  she  were  members  of  a  theatrical  company,  and 
were  cast  as  a  pair  of  lovers,  you  wouldn't  find  so 
many  pitfalls.  You  would  go  ahead  and  repeat  the 
lines  of  your  part,  wouldn't  you  ?  All  you  want  is 
to  do  the  same  now." 

"  But  what  are  the  '  lines  of  my  part  ?'  "  inquired 
the  other,  dolefully. 

"  Take  her  hand  once  in  yours  and  they  will  come 
to  you,"  retorted  Weil. 

Roseleaf  reddened  so  much  that  Archie  regretted 
the  severity  of  his  tone,  and  hastened  to  turn  the 
conversation  to  something  more  agreeable.  He 
made  up  his  mind,  however,  to  have  a  talk  with  Miss 
Fern,  and  at  the  first  opportunity  he  did  so.  It  was 
on  an  afternoon  when  he  knew  Roseleaf  was  in  the 
city,  and  he  came  to  the  point  at  once,  after  his  own 
fashion. 

"  How  are  you  and  my  young  friend  getting 
along  ?"  he  asked  her. 

"Oh,  as  well  as  possible,"  she  responded.  "  I  am 
learning  to  like  him  more  and  more.  I  really  shall 
be  sorry  when  his  task  is  done." 

Mr.  Weil  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  There's  a  bit  of  selfishness  in  your  words,  Miss 
Fern,"  he  said.  "  Have  you  forgotten  that  he  is  not 
here  to  be  useful  to  you  alone  ;  that  you  agreed  to 
do  what  you  could  for  himt  as  well?" 


106  i.   BLACK.    ADOM5. 

The  girl  cast  down  her  pretty  eyes  in  confusion. 

"  I  am  sure  I  have  tried  to  be  agreeable,"  she 
replied,  gently. 

"  That  is  not  enough,**  replied  Archie,  gravely. 
**  What  he  needs  is  something — some  one — to  stir 
his  blood,  to  awaken  his  fancy.  I  told  you  in  the 
first  place  that  you  ought  to  make  him  fall  in  love 
with  you — for  literary  reasons.  He  must  feel  a  sen- 
sation stronger  than  mere  friendship  for  a  woman 
before  he  can  write  such  a  story  as  will  bring  him 
fame." 

Miss  Millicent  did  not  grow  more  comfortable 
under  this  suggestion.  She  remarked,  after  a  long 
wait,  that  she  did  not  see  how  the  end  sought  was 
to  be  accomplished.  Love,  she  said,  was  not  a  mere 
expression,  it  was  a  deep,  actual  entity.  Two  people, 
playing  at  love  with  each  other,  might  afterwards 
find  that  that  they  were  experimenting  with  fire. 

"I  have  heard,"  she  continued,  her  fair  cheeks 
growing  crimson,  "  that  there  are  women — " 

Then  she  paused  and  could  go  no  further.  But 
he  understood. 

"There  are  women — thousands  of  them,"  he 
admitted,  "who  would  willingly  do  what  I  ask.  If 
it  is  necessary,  he  must  go  to  them." 

She  wanted  to  say  that  she  hoped  it  would  not 
come  to  that — she  wanted  to  convey  to  her  com- 
panion the  horror  she  felt  for  what  she  supposed  his 
words  implied— but  she  could  not.  It  was  so  much 
easier  to  write  of  things  than  to  talk  of  them  to  a 
man  like  him. 

"  Do  you  call  it  quite  fair,"  he  asked,  "  to  claim 


All  and  give  nothing?  He  does  not  require  much. 
Could  you  not  let  him  take  your  hand,  and—" 

"  And—" 

44  Possibly,  touch  your  lips  with  his  ?' 

Miss  Fern  rose  to  her  feet  with  a  fierce  gesture. 

41  Sir  !"  she  exclaimed. 

44  Very  well,"  replied  Mr.  Weil,  shortly,  turning 
away. 

The  girl  resumed  her  seat,  with  rapidly  rising  and 
falling  bosom.  She  was  in  a  quandary.  The  sug- 
gestion she  had  heard  would  have  sounded  from  any 
other  lips  like  a  premeditated  insult.  Coming  from 
this  man  the  venom  seemed  to  have  vanished. 

Roseleaf  felt  somewhat  discouraged  after  his  latest 
talk  with  Weil.  He  wanted  to  make  a  start,  to  do 
something,  no  matter  how  little,  toward  the  object 
he  fully  believed  was  to  be  attained.  That  evening 
while  walking  with  Miss  Fern  (for  it  was  their  fre- 
quent habit  to  go  out  of  doors  unchaperoned)  he 
found  himself  unconsciously  taking  her  hand — that 
hand  for  which  he  had  until  now  felt  a  genuine 
fright.  And  she,  after  all  her  resolutions  never  to 
permit  anything  of  the  sort,  gave  it  to  him,  as  they 
strolled  together  along  an  unfrequented  byway. 

44 1  want  so  much  to  make  a  Name,"  he  was  saying 
fervently.  "  I  have  tried  and  tried  to  begin  such  a 
book  as  Mr.  Gouger  wants,  but  I  cannot.  Won't 
you  help  me,  dear  Miss  Fern  ?  Won't  you  show  me 
what  I  lack  ?  I  know  you  can,  if  you  will.  They 
tell  me  I  have  had  no  experiences,  and  that  I  must 
have — not  a  real  affair,  you  know,  but  an  inkling  of 
what  it  is  like.  I  have  tried  to  say  things  to  you  and 


108  A.  BLACK   ADONIS. 

have  been  in  fear  that  you  would  not  like  them,  and 
have  held  my  peace.  But  now,  I  can  wait  no 
longer." 

In  his  exuberance  Roseleaf  spoke  at  last  with 
ardor,  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  attempt  to  put  one 
of  his  arms  around  the  waist  of  the  fair  creature  by 
his  side.  On  her  part  Miss  Fern  was  nearly  over- 
come by  surprise. 

In  one  instant  the  timid  young  gentleman  had 
changed  into  the  similitude  of  a  most  ardent  swain  ; 
but  in  the  next  he  became  again  his  natural  self,  with 
the  added  confusion  resulting  from  his  excited  and 
mortified  state. 

"  Let  me  take  you  home,"  he  said,  when  he  saw 
that  she  could  find  no  words  even  to  chide  him. 
"  Let  me  take  you  home  ;  and  to-morrow  I  will  go 
away." 

Go  away  !  She  did  not  like  that  idea  !  Her  book 
was  not  yet  finished,  for  one  thing  ;  and  besides  he 
was  a  nice  young  fellow,  and  had  meant  no  offense. 

"  There  is  no  reason  why  you  should  go,"  she 
stammered.  "  I  forgive  you,  I  am  sure." 

"Do  you!"  cried  Roseleaf,  grasping  her  hand 
again  in  his  joy.  "  You  are  kindness  itself  to  say  so. 
I  must  appear  very  stupid  "  (here  he  half  put  his 
arm  around  her  again,  checking  himself  with  dif- 
ficulty from  completeing  the  movement)  "  and  dull, 
and  wanting  in  manners,  but  you  are  the  only  young 
lady  I  have  ever  known  on  terms  of  the  least  in- 
timacy." 

Miss  Fern  replied  that  she  did  not  mind  what  had 
occurred,  and  hoped  he  would  forget  it.  She  added 


HOLDING   HER   HAND.  109 

that  she  would  do  anything  she  could  for  him,  and 
had  the  most  earnest  wish  that  they  should  be 
friends. 

At  the  gate  they  paused,  and  in  some  way  their 
eyes  were  looking  into  each  other.  The  girl  laughed, 
a  relief  to  feelings  that  had  been  for  the  past  ten  min- 
utes somewhat  overcharged. 

"Well,  you  have  made  a  beginning,"  she  said,  mis- 
chievously, for  she  wanted  to  drive  the  sober  expres- 
sion from  his  clouded  face. 

"  A  beginning?"  he  echoed. 

"Yes,"  she  said.     "You  have  held  my  hand.* 

He  crimsoned. 

"You  said  you  would  forgive  me,"  he  murmured. 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  she  responded,  putting  the 
hand  in  his  again. 

He  felt  a  thrill  go  through  him,  but  it  was  a  pleas- 
ant sensation. 

"I  came  very  near  putting  my  arm  around  you," 
said  he,  looking  away  from  her.  "  Do  you  forgive 
that,  too  ?" 

She  took  the  hand  away  and  struck  him  playfully 
on  the  cheek  with  the  palm  of  it. 

Then,  before  he  surmised  what  she  intended,  she 
ran  brightly  up  the  steps  of  the  house  and  vanished. 


110  A    BLACK    ADOKM. 

CHAPTER   IX. 

"  DAISY,    MY    DARLING  !" 

It  was  Roseleaf s  full  intention  to  say  something 
about  this  adventure  to  his  instructor  in  the  art  of 
love,  Mr.  Archie  Weil,  but  somehow  he  was  not  able 
to  summon  the  requisite  courage.  He  had  a  delicate 
sense  that  such  a  thing  ought  not  to  be  repeated, 
where  it  might  by  any  possibility  bring  a  laugh. 
And  about  this  time  the  novelist's  attention  began  to 
be  attracted  toward  the  younger  sister,  who  had  till 
then  almost  entirely  escaped  his  observation. 

He  noticed  particularly  the  ceaseless  devotion  that 
the  black  servant  of  the  family  exhibited  toward  her. 
She  might  have  been  a  goddess  and  he  a  devotee  ;  a 
queen  and  he  her  slave.  Hannibal  moved  about  the 
girl  like  her  very  shadow,  ready  to  anticipate  her 
slightest  wants,  while  Daisy  seemed  to  take  this 
excess  of  attention  as  a  matter  of  course. 

Millicent  constantly  showed  her  dislike  for  the 
servant. 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  can  endure  to  have  him 
touch  you,"  she  said  to  Daisy.  "  He  knows  better 
than  to  lay  his  hands  on  me.  I  have  told  papa  often 
that  I  want  him  discharged,  and  he  ought  to  con- 
sider my  wishes  a  little." 

To  this  Daisy  answered  that  the  boy,  as  she  per- 
sisted in  calling  the  giant,  meant  well  and  was  cer- 
tainly intelligent.  Her  father  did  not  like  to  change 


,  MT  DABIJSOP  11| 

servants,  for  it  took  him  a  long  time  to  get  used  t« 
new  ones.  So  Millicent  tossed  her  head,  returned  to 
her  collaboration  with  Mr.  Roseleaf,  and  things  went 
on  as  usual. 

Imperceptibly  Shirley  began  to  take  an  interest  in 
Daisy.  She  did  not  run  away  from  him,  and  he  dis- 
covered, much  to  his  surprise,  that  she  was  worth 
talking  to.  She  was  not  exactly  the  child  he  had 
supposed,  and  she  had  the  full  value  of  her  eighteen 
years  in  her  pretty  head.  He  got  into  the  habit  of 
taking  short  strolls  with  her,  on  evenings  when 
Millicent  was  occupied  with  Archie,  and  when,  as 
often  happened,  Mr.  Fern  was  away  with  Hannibal 
in  the  city.  There  was  a  sequestered  nook  at  the 
far  end  of  the  lawn,  in  which  the  pair  found  retreat. 
Before  he  realized  it,  Roseleaf  had  developed  a 
genuine  liking  for  these  rambles,  and  was  pleased 
when  the  evenings  came  that  brought  Mr.  Weil  to 
dinner. 

Daisy  was  ingenuous,  to  a  degree,  if  surface  indica- 
tions counted  for  anything.  The  words  that  flowed 
from  her  red  lips  were  as  unstudied  as  the  pretty 
attitudes  she  assumed,  or  the  exceedingly  plain  but 
very  becoming  dresses  that  she  wore.  After  she 
once  got  "  used  "  to  Roseleaf  she  treated  him  quite 
as  if  she  had  been  five  years  his  senior. 

"  Are  you  a  rich  man  ?"  she  asked  him,  on  one  of 
those  early  autumn  evenings  that  they  passed 
together. 

Her  manner  was  as  simple  as  if  she  had  said  that 
it  looked  lik*  rain,  and  his  answer  was  hardly  let* 


112  A  BLACK  ADONIS. 

"No,  Daisy.  I  have  not  much  property,  but  I 
intend  to  earn  more,  by-and-by.  Did  you  think, 
because  I  seem  so  idle,  that  I  was  a  millionaire  ?" 

"  No,"  she  answered,  a  shade  of  disappointment  in 
her  face.  "I  only  wanted,  in  case  you  had  plenty  of 
money,  to  get  you  to  lend  me  some." 

He  stared  at  her  through  the  half-light.  Her 
features  were  turned  in  a  direction  that  did  not 
reveal  them  very  well.  What  did  she  want  of 
money  ! 

"How  much  do  you  need  ?"  he  inquired,  wonder- 
ing if  it  was  within  his  power  to  oblige  her. 

"  Oh,  too  much,  I  am  afraid.  And  I  cannot 
answer  any  questions,  because  the  object  I  have  is 
a  secret.  I  don't  think  my  plan  very  feasible,  for 
it  might  be  years  and  years  before  I  could  pay  it 
back.  You  won't  mind  my  speaking  of  it,  will  you  ?" 

Curiosity  grew  stronger,  and  as  politely  as  possible 
he  renewed  his  question  as  to  how  much  the  girl 
needed  to  carry  out  her  plan. 

"  I  don't  know,  exactly,"  she  said,  thoughtfully. 
"  Perhaps  a  thousand  dollars  a  year  for  five  or  six 
years  ;  it  might  take  less." 

"It  is  a  great  deal,"  he  admitted.  "Does  your 
father  know  what  you  contemplate?" 

The  girl  changed  color  at  once. 

"Oh,  no.  I  should  not  like  to  have  him,  either. 
He  would  say  it  was  very  foolish.  And  yet  I  am  sure 
it  would  not  be.  The  money  would  do  much  good- 
yes,  ever  so  much." 

The  young  man  thought  hard  for  a  few  moments. 
A  desire  to  see  a  brighter  light  flash  into  those 


"DAISY,  MY  DARLING!"  113 

young  eyes  possessed  him.  He  debated  seriously 
the  idea  of  handing  her  his  patrimony,  as  he  would 
have  given  her  a  pound  of  candy  if  she  had  wanted 
it. 

"  I  might  give  you  part,"  he  said,  after  a  pa*"3e. 
"  Perhaps  your  thousand  for  the  first  year  or  two." 

She  looked  him  full  in  the  face,  and  put  both  her 
hands  in  his  impulsively. 

"  You  are  too  good  . '  she  exclaimed,  with  fervor. 
"  But  you  cannot  afford  so  large  a  gift.  No,  I  would 
only  take  it  if  you  had  a  very  large  sum,  and  could 
not  possibly  miss  it.  I  asked  carelessly.  I  should 
not  have  done  so — I  was  selfish  to  think  of  such  a 
thing." 

"  I  want  to  speak  to  you  about  something,  also," 
said  Roseleaf,  after  a  strained  pause.  "  I  have 
noticed  of  late  that  your  father  has  some  trouble  on 
his  mind." 

She  started  suddenly. 

"  Ah  »"  was  all  she  said. 

"  And  I  have  wondered  if  there  was  anything  I 
could  do  to — to  aid  him — to  relieve  him.  Because, 
I  would  like  it  very  much  if  I  could,  on  account  of—- 
of—" 

She  looked  up  inquiringly. 

"  I  have  been  so  much  a  member  of  your  family,  in 
a  certain  way,  that  a  grief  like  this  appeals  strongly 
to  me,"  he  said,  haltingly. 

She  paled  slightly  as  she  repeated  his  words. 

«* A  grief?" 

"  Well,  distress,  annoyance,  whatever  it  may  be 


114  A    BLACK    ADONIS. 

called.  If  there  is  anything  I  can  do,  I  shall  be  more 
than  happy." 

The  girl  sat  for  some  moments  with  her  eyes  on 
the  ground. 

"  He  fs  troubled,"  she  said,  finally.  "  I  am  glad  to 
talk  with  you,  for  I  cannot  get  him  to  tell  me  any- 
thing. He  is  greatly  troubled,  and  I  am  worried 
beyond  expression.  I  can't  understand  it.  He  has 
always  confided  in  me  so  thoroughly,  but  now  he 
shakes  his  head  and  says  it  is  nothing,  trying  to  look 
brighter  even  when  the  tears  are  almost  ready  to 
fall.  What  can  it  be,  Mr.  Roseleaf?  He  has  no 
companions  outside  of  his  office  and  this  house  ? 
He  sits  by  himself,  and  isn't  a  bit  like  he  used  to  be 
and  every  day  I  think  he  grows  worse." 

Roseleaf  asked  if  Daisy  had  talked  much  with  her 
sister  about  it. 

"  No/'  she  said,  with  a  headshake.  "  I  don't 
believe  Millie  has  noticed  anything.  She  is  so 
occupied  with  her  literary  matters  " — there  was  a 
sarcastic  touch  upon  the  word,  that  did  not  escape 
the  listener — "she  has  no  time  for  such  things.  I 
hope  you  won't  think  I  mean  to  criticise  her,"  added 
the  young  girl,  with  a  blush.  "  I  know  you  care  a 
great  deal  for  my  sister,  and — " 

She  stopped  in  the  midst  of  the  sentence,  leaving 
it  unfinished.  And  Roseleaf  thought  how  interest- 
ing this  girl  had  become. 

u  Let  me  confide  in  you,  Daisy,"  he  said,  in  his 
softest  tone.  "  I  do  not  care  'a  great  deal,'  nor  even 
a  very  little  for  your  sister.  You  see,"  he  went  on, 
in  response  to  the  startled  look  that  greeted  him,  "  I 


"DAISY,  MY  DARLINO V  115 

am  to  be  a  novelist.  To  be  successful  in  writing 
fiction,  I  have  been  told  that  I  ought  to  be  in  love — 
just  once — myself.  And  I  came  here  and  tried  very 
hard  to  fall  in  love  with  Miss  Millicent ;  and  I  simply 
cannot." 

Daisy's  fresh  young  laugh  rang  out  on  the  air  of 
the  evening. 

"  Poor  man  !"  she  cried,  with  mock  pity.  "  And 
hasn't  she  tried  to  help  you  ?" 

"  No.  She  hasn't.  And  as  soon  as  I  get  the 
work  done  I  have  commenced  for  her,  I  am  going 
away." 

The  child — she  was  scarcely  more  than  that — grew 
whiter,  but  the  shadows  of  the  evening  hid  the  fact 
from  her  companion. 

"  You  ought  not  to  go,"  she  said,  slowly,  and 
rather  faintly,  "  until  you  have  made  another  trial." 

"Oh  !     It  is  useless  !"  he  replied. 

"  Is  it  that  you  cannot  love — Millie — or  that  you 
cannot  love — any  one  ?" 

He  hesitated,  puzzled,  himself,  at  the  question. 

"I  never  did  love  any  one — any  woman,"  he  con- 
fessed, "  and  perhaps  I  never  shall.  But  your  sister 
seems  peculiarly  hard  to  love.  Yet  she  is  a  very 
handsome  girl  and  equipped  with  a  mind  of  unusual 
calibre." 

Daisy  acknowledged  this  description  of  her  sister's 
charms.  She  remarked  that  it  was  strange  that 
such  a  combination  did  not  suffice  to  accomplish  the 
desired  result. 

"  There  are  people  who  do  find  her  entertaining," 
she  added,  "  Mr.  Weil  is  one  of  them." 


116  A  BLACK  ADONIS. 

"Oh,  Archie!"  said  Roseleaf.  "He  finds  every- 
thing  entertaining.  It  is  nothing  worth  remarking. 
She  is  the  exact  description  of  his  ideal  in  feminine 
face  and  form.  He  once  gave  me  the  list  of  the 
excellencies  of  a  '  perfect  woman,' and  your  sister  has 
them  all." 

The  younger  Miss  Fern  had  her  own  opinions 
about  this  matter.  She  shought  the  innocent  man  at 
her  side  had  not  quite  guaged  the  interest  that  Mr. 
Weil  took  in  her  family. 

"  I  will  make  a  proposition,"  she  said,  with  a  light 
laugh,  when  they  had  talked  longer  upon  the  sub- 
ject. "I  am  afraid  it  won't  seem  worth  much  to 
you,  and  perhaps  you  can  do  better  ;  but  why  can't 
you  stay  here,  and — if  Millie  won't  do— make  love 
tow*/" 

Darkness  is  responsible  for  many  things.  In  the 
light,  Daisy  could  not  have  uttered  those  words, 
even  in  jest.  There,  when  the  sun  had  set  and  the 
stars  were  not  yet  on  duty,  she  found  the  courage  to 
make  that  suggestion. 

"  You  are  very  kind,"  he  stammered,  when  he 
grasped  her  meaning.  "  But  I  do  not  think  it  will 
answer.  I  am  afraid  love  cannot  be  pushed  to  any 
point  without  its  own  initiative," 

a  That  is  probably  the  case  with  real  love,"  re- 
plied the  girl,  "  but  an  imitation  that  would  serve 
your  purpose  might  be  evolved  in  the  way  I  have 
indicated.  For  instance, you  could  take  my  hand  in 
yours — like  this — and  I  could  lean  toward  you  in 
—this  way.  And  then,  if  you  had  sufficient  cour- 
age-" 


11  DA18T,   MY   DARLING  P  117 

Before  he  dreamed  of  doing  it,  it  was  done  !  He 
had  kissed  her  on  her  tempting  lips,  placed  within 
an  inch  of  his  own. 

"  You  are  too  good  a  scholar,"  she  pouted,  rising 
to  her  feet  in  some  confusion.  "I  did  not  give  you 
leave  to  do  that." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon  most  humbly,"  he  answered, 
with  intense  contrition.  "  May  I  assure  you  that 
the  act  was  wholly  involuntary  and  that  I  am  very 
sorry  for  it  ?" 

She  turned  and  surveyed  him  in  the  shadow. 

"  Are — you — wry— sorry  ?"  she  repeated. 

"Yes." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  I  have  made  you  angry." 

"Do  I  seem  angry?" 

"  At  least,  I  have  injured  your  feelings.** 

Her  face  was  close  to  his  again. 

"  Well,  I  forgive  you.     There,  let  us  make  up." 

She  raised  herself  on  the  tips  of  her  toes  and 
kissed  him  twice. 

All  the  blood  in  this  young  man's  body  seemed  to 
rush  to  his  head  and  then  back  with  violence  to  his 
heart. 

" Daisy  1"  he  stammered.     "Daisy!" 

But  she  sprang  away  as  he  tried  to  embrace  her, 
and  standing  two  yards  off,  tauntingly  cried  that  he 
did  not  know  what  love  was,  and  that  no  one  could 
ever  teach  him.  Taking  up  the  challenge  he  started 
toward  her.  She  ran  away,  he  in  pursuit.  She  had 
gone  but  a  few  steps  when  she  tripped  over  an 


118  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

object  in  the  path  and  went  down.  In  trying  to 
stop  himself  Roseleaf  fell  by  her  side. 

"  Daisy  !"  he  cried.     "  Are  you  injured  ?" 

She  did  not  answer.  In  the  darkness  he  saw 
her  lying  there  so  still  that  he  was  frightened.  He 
caught  her  passionately  in  his  arms,  and  knew  no 
better  way  to  bring  her  to  consiousness  than  to  rain 
kisses  on  her  cheeks.  As  might  be  expected  this 
only  served  to  prolong  her  swoon,  which  was  not  a 
very  genuine  one,  if  the  truth  must  be  told,  and  it 
was  some  seconds  before  she  opened  her  eyes  and 
caught  him,  as  one  might  say,  in  the  act. 

"  How  dare  you  !"  she  demanded,  shrinking  away 
from  him. 

"  Daisy,  my  darling  !"  he  answered,  his  voice 
tremulous.  "  I  thought  you  were  dead,  and  I  knew 
for  the  first  time  how  dearly,  how  truly  I  loved 
you !" 

She  laughed,  not  very  heartily.  She  had  hurt  her- 
self truly  in  her  fall,  and  her  feminine  nerves  were 
jarred. 

"You  are  doing  nicely,"  she  said.  "For  a 
beginner,  one  could  ask  nothing  better.  And  now, 
if  you  will  help  to  rise,  I  think  it  would  be  more 
proper." 

"  No."  He  spoke  with  force  and  passion.  "  You 
must  not  think  I  am  trifling.  I  love  you  !  Yes,  I 
love  you  !  / 'worship you /" 

"  I  do  not  see,"  she  remarked,  insisting  in  spite  of 
him  that  she  must  assume  a  standing  position, 
"  how  you  differ  in  your  expressions  from  the  lovers 
I  have  read  of  in  novels.  It  is  quite  time  that  we  re- 


''DAISY,    MY    DARLING  r  110 

turned  to  the  house.  To-morrow,  if  you  like,  I  will 
give  you  another  lesson." 

Shirley  was  a  picture  of  utter  despair.  His  new 
sensations  almost  overwhelmed  him.  In  one  second 
the  dead  arteries  in  his  body  had  leaped  into  the 
fullest  life.  The  touch  of  that  young  maiden's  lips 
had  galvanized  him.  He  could  not  bear  to  leave 
her  with  those  mocking  words.  But  at  that  moment 
a  voice  was  heard  in  the  direction  of  the  residence. 

"Miss — Dai-sy  !     Miss — Dai-sy!" 

It  was  Hannibal,  who  had  returned  from  a  drive 
with  Mr.  Fern.  They  could  see  him  dimly  coming 
across  the  lawn  with  the  girl's  cloak  in  his  hand. 
Daisy,  with  one  quick  grasp  of  the  fingers  that  hung 
close  to  hers,  said  good-night  to  her  companion,  and 
started  in  the  direction  of  the  servant.  If  she  in- 
tended— as  seemed  probable — to  pretend  she  was 
out  alone,  Roseleaf  did  not  mean  to  share  in  that 
deception,  and  he  followed  close  behind  her. 

"  Here  I  am,  Hannibal,"  called  Daisy.  "Ah,  you 
have  my  coat.  It  was  very  kind  of  you.  Has  papa 
come  home  ?  I  am  coming  in.  I  did  not  think  how 
late  it  was." 

The  negro  stopped  as  he  saw  the  strollers,  and 
knew  that  they  had  undoubtedly  been  together. 
What  more  he  suspected  no  one  can  say  with  cer- 
tainty. But  he  threw  the  cloak  upon  the  grass  that 
Bordered  the  pathway  and  turned  on  his  heel  with- 
out a  word. 

"  Confound  his  impudence  !  "  exclaimed  Roseleaf, 
when  he  had  recovered  sufficiently  from  his  surprise 


130  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

to  speak.  "  I  have  a  good  notion  to  follow  him  and 
box  his  ears." 

The  soft  hand  of  the  girl  was  on  his  sleeve  in  a 
moment. 

"  Say  nothing  to  him—pleascf*  she  answered.  "  He 
—he  is  very  thoughtful  for  me — of  my  health — and  I 
was  careless.  Papa  must  have  sent  him." 

The  touch  on  his  arm  mollified  the  young  man  at 
once.  He  tried  to  make  out  the  lines  of  the  pretty 
face  that  was  so  near  him  and  yet  so  far  away. 

"  We  are  to  study  again  to-morrow,  then,"  he  said, 
taking  up  her  statement  with  an  assumed  air  of  gay- 
ety.  "At  what  hour  ?" 

But  she  broke  away  from  him  abruptly,  and  ran 
into  the  house  without  a  word.  Hannibal  stood  in 
the  doorway  and  Roseleaf  thought  he  distinguished 
harsh  souuds  from  the  negro's  lips  ;  but  this  seemed 
so  incredible  that  he  conceived  his  senses  at  fault. 

Looking  at  his  watch  the  novelist  saw  that  it  was 
still  early  enough  to  take  a  stroll  by  himself  and  pon- 
der over  his  new  happiness — or  misery,  which  was 
it  ? — under  the  open  sky.  It  was  two  hours  later 
that  his  latchkey  turned  in  the  door,  and  in  that  time 
he  had  resolved  either  to  make  Daisy  Fern  his  wife 
or  commit  suicide  in  the  most  expeditious  fashion. 


WOH,    SO   MANY,   MANY  MAIDS  P*  121 

CHAPTER  X 

"OH,    SO   MANY,   MANY   MAIDS !" 

The  only  disagreeable  thing  about  falling  in  love 
with  Daisy  was  that  Roseleaf  felt  compelled  to  re- 
veal the  truth  to  Archie  Weil.  He  believed  he  was 
bound  to  do  this  by  a  solemn  contract  which  he  had 
no  moral  right  to  ignore.  Perhaps  Weil  might  claim 
that  he  had  no  business  to  fall  in  love  with  one  sister 
when  his  "manager"  had  picked  out  the  other  for 
this  operation.  Be  that  as  it  may,  there  was  no  use 
in  evading  the  question.  It  must  be  talked  over,  be 
the  result  what  it  might. 

"Well,  I  know  what  love  is  now,"  was  the  abrupt 
way  in  which  the  young  man  opened  the  subject  on 
the  following  afternoon. 

He  had  ridden  to  the  city,  as  Weil  was  not  expected 
at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Fern  that  day.  The  hope  he 
had  formed  the  previous  evening  of  getting  another 
interview  with  Daisy  had  not  materialized,  she  hav- 
ing gone  on  some  short  journey  before  he  could  in- 
tercept her. 

"  You  do  !"  was  the  equally  abrupt  reply,  uttered 
in  a  tone  that  betrayed  undoubted  astonishment. 
"  What  do  you  mean  ?" 

Roseleaf  reddened. 

"  It  came  to  me  all  at  once,  last  evening,"  he  said, 
Avoiding  the  gaze  of  his  companion.  "We  were 
down  at  the  end  of  the  lawn,  you  know—'* 


122  A   BLACK   ADOBTIS. 

Archie  interrupted  him  with  a  sudden  shout. 

«  Not  Daisy!" 

*Yes." 

"  You  are  in  love  with  Daisy  !  " 

Roseleaf  bowed. 

"  Upon  my  word  !" 

There  was  nothing  in  any  of  these  expressions  that 
conveyed  the  information  which  the  younger  man 
craved,  namely,  whether  his  friend  approved  what 
he  had  announced,  but  he  stole  a  look  at  him  and 
saw  that  he  appeared  more  astounded  than  angry. 

"  You  dear  boy,"  he  said,  "  I  don't  know  what  to 
say  to  you.  You  blush  like  a  maiden  over  the 
acknowledgment.  I  am  half  inclined  to  believe 
you  are  the  girl  in  the  case,  and  your  partner  in  love 
some  great,  strapping  fellow  on  whose  bosom  you 
intend  to  pillow  your  coy  head.  So  it  is  Daisy,  eh  ? 
And  last  night  it  came  to  you  ?  Tell  me  how  it 
happened." 

Comforted  in  a  measure  by  the  good  nature  of  his 
friend,  Roseleaf  proceeded  to  give  the  outlines  of 
what  had  occurred,  suppressing  the  more  intimate 
facts  with  which  the  luckier  reader  is  acquainted. 
He  admitted  the  touch  of  hands,  but  did  not  men- 
tion the  pressure  of  lips  to  lips.  He  told  of  the 
girl's  swoon,  but  said  nothing  of  the  extraordinary 
measures  adopted  to  bring  her  to  her  senses.  But, 
while  he  made  no  insinuations,  nor  pretended  to  see 
through  the  meshes  in  this  net,  the  experience  of 
Mr  Weil  served  him  in  good  stead.  He  could  fill  in 
the  vacant  places  in  the  story  with  substantial  cor- 
rectness. 


"OH,    SO   MANY,   MAHT   MAIDfli"  12S 

"  I  don't  know  what  Miss  Millicent  will  say  to  all 
this,"  he  remarked,  when  the  recital  came  to  a  pause. 

"  I  think  she  was  just  beginning  to  like  you  a 
little  herself.  Most  of  our  talk  last  evening  was 
about  you,  and  when  I  mentioned,  as  I  took  my 
leave,  that  you  were  probably  out  walking  with 
Daisy,  I  could  see  distinct  traces  of  jealousy.  I 
want  to  be  fair  with  my  client.  I  told  her  that  you 
came  there  to  learn  love  from  her,  not  from  her 
little  sister.  If  all  this  should  result  in  breaking  her 
heart,  I  don't  see  how  I  could  excuse  myself.  And 
the  other  one,  she  seems  such  a  child,  I  never 
thought  of  her  in  that  connection.  Why,  how  old  is 
she — not  over  eighteen,  I  think." 

Roseleaf  answered  that  Daisy  would  be  nineteen 
on  her  next  birthday,  an  ingenious  way  of  stating 
age  that  was  not  original  with  him. 

"  All  right,"  said  Archie,  digesting  this  statement 
slowly.  "  And  now,  what  is  your  programme  ?" 

Roseleaf  looked  surprised  at  the  business-like 
nature  of  the  question. 

"I  mean  to  secure  her  consent  to  marry  me,  as 
soon  as  possible,"  he  said. 

"And  then?" 

"  Why,  see  her  father,  I  suppose.  Isn't  that  the 
most  important  thing  to  do  ?" 

Mr.  Weil  shook  his  head  decidedly. 

"  Not  by  any  means.  You  must  not  act  with 
undue  haste.  Mr.  Fern  would  say  she  was  too  young 
to  think  of  matrimony,  a  proposition  you  could  not 
successfully  dispute.  Besides,  should  he  happen  to 
give  his  consent  and  appoint  a  week  from  Wednes* 


day  for  the  happy  occasion,  see  what  a  mess  it  would 
put  you  in." 

The  suggestion  caused  the  brightest  of  smiles  to 
illumine  the  countenance  of  the  listener. 

"  It  would  make  me  the  happiest  of  mortals  1"  he 
cried.  "There  is  nothing  that  could  prevent  my 
summoning  the  clergyman  and  securing  the  prize  I 
desire." 

Mr.  Weil  grunted. 

"  H — m  !  And  in  the  meanwhile  what  would 
become  of  your  great  novel  ?" 

This  question  brought  a  sober  pause  to  the  young 
novelist. 

"  I  could  write  it  after  my  wedding,"  he  answered, 
finally. 

"  Could  you  ?  You  could  write  nothing  at  all  then 
— nothing  that  any  one  would  pay  a  cent  to  read.  I 
have  told  you  from  the  start  that  what  you  want  is  a 
grand*  passion,  something  to  stir  your  soul  to  its 
depths.  You  are  on  the  verge  of  that  experience. 
Already  you  have  had  a  glimpse  of  what  it  will  be 
like.  For  the  first  time  the  touch  of  a  woman's 
fingers  has  driven  sleep  from  your  eyelids.  No,  you 
didn't  tell  me  you  laid  awake  all  night,  but  I  saw  it 
by  looking  at  you.  You  can  shut  yourself  up  in 
your  room  now,  and  rhapsodize  over  the  dear  face, 
the  lovely  mouth,  the  soft  voice  of  your  beloved.  In 
another  week,  if  this  keeps  on,  you  can  write  like  a 
combination  of  George  Eliot  (after  she  met  Lewes) 
and  Amelia  Rives  (before  her  marriage).  A  month 
later,  Gouger  might  rave  over  your  productions,  for 
you  will  be  on  the  Matterhorn  of  bliss  unsatisfied." 


"OH,    SO   MANY,    MANY   MAIDS  !"  125 

A  slight  laugh,  at  his  own  excess  of  description, 
issued  from  the  lips  of  Mr.  Weil,  but  the  counte- 
nance of  his  companion  was  as  firm  as  a  rock. 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Roseleaf,  gravely.  "  Already 
I  see  the  vast  difference  between  this  sensation  of 
love  and  the  thing  I  imagined  it  to  be  when  I  wrote 
those  silly  pages  that  Cutt  &  Slashem  did  so  well  to 
reject.  But  I  am  torn  between  two  desires.  I  want 
to  write  my  novel — until  yesterday  I  thought  no 
wish  could  be  so  great.  And  I  also  want  my  wife." 
He  breathed  the  word  with  a  simple  reverence  that 
affected  even  the  flinty  heart  of  his  hearer.  "  I  shall 
never  rest  easy  until  I  find  her  wholly  mine,  to  love, 
honor  and  cherish  while  God  gives  me  breath  1" 

The  hand  of  the  elder  man  dropped  heavily  on 
the  table  by  his  side. 

"  Good!"  he  exclaimed.  "  Very  good  !  You  could 
not  have  said  it  better.  There  is  an  opportunity  be- 
fore you  to  accomplish  both  of  these  things.  I  only 
wish  to  impress  upon  you  the  fact  that  they  must 
come  in  the  order  I  have  indicated,  or  one  of  them 
will  never  come  at  all.  Write  your  story  while  the 
fever  of  passion  is  on  you.  The  dead  calm  of  mar- 
ried life  would  only  bring  the  sort  of  novel  that  the 
shelves  are  already  piled  with,  nauseating  to  the 
public  and  a  drug  in  the  hands  of  the  publishers." 

Roseleaf  doubted  the  full  correctness  of  these  con- 
clusions. He  thought,  with  that  dear  girl  by  his 
side,  he  could  write  with  all  the  fervor  of  a  sweet- 
heart, for  his  affection  was  to  have  no  boundary,  no 
limit,  no  end.  But  he  had  a  high  opinion  of  the 


126  A    BLACK    ADONIS. 

abilities  of  Mr.  Weil,  and  he  had  no  idea  of  dispu* 
ing  the  conclusions  of  that  wise  guide. 

"Do  you  think  she  will  accept  me?"  he  asked, 
wistfully,  returning  to  the  main  question.  "  It  came 
so  sudden,  and  there  was  very  little  said,  and  it  was 
late ;  and  then  Hannibal  came  after  her,  and  she 
went  into  the  house.  Everything  was  left  in  a  state 
of  uncertainty,.'* 

"  Did  nothing  show  whether  you  were  indifferent 
to  her  ?"  was  the  wily  interrogation  that  followed. 
"  Usually  I  believe  something  conveys  the  sweet 
word  '  hope  '  to  the  waiting  one.  And  what  do  you 
say  about  Hannibal  ?  That  he  came  to  call  your 
charmer  and  took  her  away  from  you  ?" 

Without  reserve  the  young  man  repeated  what  had 
happened.  Archie  seemed  deeply  interested,  but 
whatever  his  thoughts  he  did  not  express  them  at 
the  time. 

"  And  that  reminds  me  of  another  thing,"  said 
Roseleaf.  "  Have  you  noticed  anything  strange 
about  Mr.  Fern  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Weil,  "  I  have  noticed.  I  won- 
dered if  you  had  done  the  same.  Have  you  dis- 
covered what  the  trouble  is  ?" 

"  No,  and  Daisy  doesn't  know,  either.  Indeed, 
she  is  much  distressed  about  it.  Remember,  this  is 
a  secret  between  us,  for  perhaps  I  had  no  right  to 
talk  of  their  affairs.  He  is  in  a  state  of  great  depres- 
sion, and  as  he  it  so  regular  in  his  habits  I  can't 
imagine  what  to  lay  it  to.  You  are  so  shrewd, 
couldn't  you  find  out  ?" 


"  OH,    80  MANT,    MANY    MAID8  1"  127 

Mr.  Weil  rose  and  took  a  few  paces  up  and  down 
the  room. 

"  You  are  the  fellow  to  do  that,  not  I,"  he  said,  pres- 
ently. "  Yes,  hear  me  out.  You  are  in  a  sense  a 
member  of  his  family,  and  would  have  a  natural 
right  to  allude  to  the  state  of  his  health.  Then,  if 
you  were  to  put  in  a  word  about  Miss  Daisy- — why, 
you  might  kill  several  birds  with  one  stone." 

Roseleaf  looked  much  puzzled. 

"  I  thought,"  he  said,  "  that  you  wanted  me  to  post- 
pone the  matter  of  my  marriage  as  long  as  pos- 
sible." 

"  Your  marriage,  yes.  But  not  the  preliminaries. 
They  may  require  a  dozen  bouts  with  the  «ld  gentle- 
man. The  first  time  he  will  probably  laugh  you  out 
of  the  room  as  a  silly  young  noodle  ;  the  second  he 
will  say  that  he  has  nothing  against  you  personally, 
but  that  his  '  baby  '  is  too  infantile  to  think  of  such 
things  for  ten  years  yet  ;  the  third  he  will  begin  to 
see  the  situation  in  its  right  light,  and  after  that  it 
will  be  only  a  matter  of  detail.  All  these  things 
will  be  of  the  greatest  value  to  you  in  the  novel  you 
are  going  to  write,  and  you  must  not  on  your  life 
miss  a  single  one  of  them. 

"  Drop  into  the  wool  shop,  catch  his  royal  high- 
ness there,  and  for  the  first  thing  express  solicitude 
for  his  health.  Unless  he  is  on  his  guard  more  than 
is  likely  you  ought  to  catch  some  slight  straw  to  show 
what  ails  him.  Then  follow  it  up  with  a  word  or  two 
about  Miss  Daisy,  and  you  will  have  spent  a  good 
afternoon,  even  if  he  doesn't  smile  on  your  suit  at 


128  A.  BLACK    ADONIS. 

first  hand,  and  take  you  to  his  manly  breast  as  his 
long-lost  son-in-law." 

The  reasonings  set  forth  in  these  propositions 
were  so  evidently  correct  that  Roseleaf  resolved  to 
adopt  them  just  as  soon  as  he  could  bring  himself 
into  the  proper  mood.  In  the  meantime,  however, 
he  wanted  to  have  a  little  further  talk  with  Daisy, 
for  he  could  hardly  ask  her  father  for  her  hand 
without  the  semblance  of  permission  on  her  part. 
He  tried  to  remember  all  she  had  said  to  him  at 
the  foot  of  the  lawn,  and  was  compelled  to  admit 
that  it  was  very  little  indeed.  The  only  things  he 
was  certain  of  were  the  kisses,  but  his  experiences 
were  so  slight  that  he  could  not  tell  how  much 
weight  to  give  even  these. 

That  evening  he  tried  his  best  to  get  a  word  with 
her  alone,  but  she  eluded  him,  and  he  was  obliged  to 
go  to  the  boudoir  of  her  sister  and  read  over  that 
young  lady's  MSS.  as  it  stood  revised  by  his  careful 
hands. 

"Well,  another  chapter  will  finish  it,"  said  Miss 
Fern,  when  he  put  down  the  pages.  "  And  then  Mr. 
Gouger  will  decide  whether  Cutt  &  Slashem  con- 
sider it  worth  printing." 

"  Yes,"  he  answered,  gravely.  "  They  will  print 
your  story  now,  without  doubt.  But  /am  as  far  as 
ever  from  satisfying  their  requirements." 

Millicent  thought  how  supremely  selfish  she  must 
seem,  talking  always  of  her  own  hopes  and  doing 
nothing  to  help  the  one  who  had  made  her  success 
possible.  She  saw  that  he  wore  a  dejected  look,  and 
she  began  to  sincerely  pity  him.  When  our  own 


WOH,   SO  MAXY,   MANY   MAIDS  1"  129 

ships  are  safely  in  sight  of  the  harbor  we  have 
more  time  to  dwell  on  the  derelicts  in  which  the 
property  of  our  friends  is  embarked. 

"  Perhaps,  when  we  get  this  disposed  of,  I  can 
help  you,"  she  suggested. 

It  was  nearly  a  week  before  Roseleaf  could  get 
another  talk  with  Daisy,  a  week  that  tried  him  to 
the  utmost,  for  he  could  think  of  nothing  but  her, 
and  could  not  understand  her  reasons  for  treating 
him  so  strangely.  At  last  he  wrote  her  a  letter, 
giving  it  to  Hannibal  to  deliver,  in  which  he  said 
that  he  was  about  to  return  to  his  city  lodging  and 
wanted  to  know  if  she  meant  him  to  leave  without  a 
kind  word  at  parting.  He  thought  the  negro  looked 
peculiar  as  he  took  the  note,  half  as  if  he  did  not 
intend  to  accept  the  commission  to  deliver  it  ;  but 
he  concluded  that  this  must  be  imagination.  He 
wondered  why  Archie  Weil  took  such  a  fancy  to 
Hannibal.  If  Roseleaf  was  lucky  enough  to  claim 
Daisy  as  his  wife,  he  would  never  have  that  figure 
darken  his  door. 

The  letter  must  have  been  taken  to  its  destina- 
tion without  delay,  for  an  answer  was  brought  in  the 
course  of  an  hour,  stating  in  the  briefest  language 
that  Miss  Daisy  would  await  him  in  the  parlor,  after 
lunch. 

At  the  table  Miss  Fern  was  present,  as  usual,  but 
not  her  father,  his  business  in  the  city  keeping  him 
away  at  that  hour.  At  meals  it  was  Daisy's  habit  to 
say  little,  leaving  the  conversation  to  her  sister  and 
whoever  else  happened  to  be  there.  At  the  end  of 
this  particular  lunch  Millicent  went  up  stairs  to  her 


130  A    BUCK   ADONIS. 

chamber  and  Daisy  betook  herself  to  the  parlor,  fol- 
lowed a  few  minutes  later  by  the  young  man. 

"Why  have  you  treated  me  so  coldly  ?"  were  his 
first  words,  when  he  found  himself  alone  with  her. 

"  Oh,  dear,  that  is  a  very  bad  beginning  !"  she 
said,  smiling.  "  I  shall  have  to  instruct  you  in  some 
of  the  simplest  things,  I  see  already.  When  you 
wish  to  make  friends  with  a  woman,  don't  begin  by 
scolding  her.  I  am  here  because  you  wrote  that  you 
wished  a  kind  word.  Don't  give  me  too  many  cross 
ones,  please." 

He  sighed  impatiently. 

"  Daisy,"  he  exclaimed.  *  I  hope  you  are  not  go- 
ing to  make  fun  of  me  !  I  have  passed  a  most  mis- 
erable week.  After  the  glimpse  of  heaven  you  gave 
me,  that  evening — " 

She  put  on  an  air  of  mock  surprise. 

"  Did  I  do  that  !  It  was  much  more  than  I  in- 
tended, then.  I  fear  you  are  inclined  to  use  extrav- 
agant metaphors,  Mr.  Roseleaf.  But,  never  mind. 
You  are  going  away,  and  I  am  very,  very  sorry. 
However,  as  you  came  here  on  Millie's  account,  and 
not  on  mine,  1  suppose  I  have  no  right  to  say  so." 

The  fair  brow  of  the  young  man  was  a  mass  of 
wrinkles. 

"  I  can't  understand  why  you  speak  so  lightly," 
he  answered.  "  You  know — I  told  you — that  I  love 
you — that  there  is  nothing  in  all  the  world  so  dear 
to  me — that  I  want  your  promise  to  be  my  wife.  I 
can't  go  from  here  without  that  consolation.  Daisy, 
I  ask  you,  in  all  sincerity,  to  say  that  as  soon  as  your 


MAW?   MAXX«r  131 

father's  consent  is  obtained,  you  will  name  a  day 
when  you  will  marry  me," 

The  smile  faded  from  the  giro's  lips.  Something 
brought  to  her  mind  a  very  sad  reflection. 

"  You  ask  a  great  deal,"  she  said.  "  Much  more, 
I  think,  than  you  realize.  Until  a  week  ago  I  was 
nothing  to  you.  We  lived  under  the  same  roof,  we 
took  our  evening  strolls  together,  we  talked  like  the 
commonest  acquaintances,  and  that  was  all.  Then, 
in  a  moment,  you  discovered  that  your  heart  was  on 
fire.  I  have  not  ascertained  what  made  the  marvel- 
lous change.  I  am  sure  you  cannot  tell  yet  if  it  be 
a  genuine  and  lasting  one.  Were  I  inclined  to  be- 
lieve I  ever  should  be  willing  to  go  to  the  lengths 
of  which  you  speak,  I  should  assuredly  want  time 
for  the  maturest  reflection.  In  the  first  place,  I 
know  almost  nothing  about  you.  One  would  not 
engage  a — a  coachman — without  more  inquiry. 
How  can  a  girl  promise  to  trust  her  entire  future  to 
a  man  with  whom  she  has  but  a  casual  acquaint- 
ance ?  Such  things  need  consideration.  I  know  my 
father  would  say  so.  And  if  he  heard  only  the 
nicest  things  about  you,  I  doubt  if  he  would  like  to 
have  you  take  me  from  him — especially  now,  when 
his  heart  is  heavy  and  he  leans  so  much  on  my  love 
and  care.  No,  you  are  in  too  great  haste." 

His  impatience  grew  to  boiling  heat  as  he  listened. 
How  could  she  find  so  many  reasons,  and  (he  was 
obliged  to  confess)  such  sensible  ones,  to  bring 
against  him  ? 

"There  is  one  thing  you  can  do,"  he  said,  with  an 


139  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

attitude  of  deep  dejection.  "You  can  tell  me  if  you 
love  me." 

She  tossed  her  head  with  a  feminine  movement 
that  was  wholly  charming. 

"Yes,  I  could  tell  you  that,  but  it  would  be  a  very 
improper  thing,  under  the  circumstances,  provided  I 
was  able  to  give  you  the  answer  you  seem  to  wish. 
If  I  did  care  for  you,  would  I  like  to  say  so  in  defin- 
ite words  when  anything  further  might  turn  out  to 
be  impossible  ?  A  girl  would  not  wish  to  have  a 
man  that  she  was  never  to  marry  going  about  with 
the  recollection  that  she  said,  '  I  love  you.' " 

"  Then  you  can  say  nothing  at  all  ?"  he  asked 
sadly.  "  Shall  I  be  uncertain  whether  at  the  end  of 
my  term  in  purgatory  I  am  to  be  raised  to  a  state  of 
bliss  or  dashed  into  the  Inferno  ?" 

She  lauglied  ;  a  delicious  little  laugh. 

"You  are  getting  hyperbolical,"  she  answered. 
*  There  are  ten  thousand  better  women  than  I." 

"  But  I  don't  want  them,"  pleaded  the  young  man. 
"  Did  you  ever  read  the  lines  of  Jean  Ingelow : 

" '  Oh  so  many,  many,  many 
Maids  and  yet  my  heart  undone. 
What  to  me  are  all  or  any  ? 
I  have  lost — my — one.' " 

Daisy  replied  that  the  sentiment  was  very  sweet, 
and  added  that  when  a  lover  could  quote  sucii 
admirable  poetry  with  accuracy,  there  was  hope 
for  him.  Do  what  he  would,  Roseleaf  could  not 
make  her  see  that  everything  in  his  future  life  de- 
pended on  "  one  little  word  "  from  her.  She  per- 
sisted that  he  was  misled  by  the  violence  of  his  first 


"OH,   SO   MANY,    MANY   MAIDS "  133 

affection,  and  that  if  he  would  only  let  a  month  or  two 
pass  he  would  discover  that  his  pulse  would  fall  off 
a  number  of  beats  to  the  minute. 

"And  is  that  what  you  want  ?"  he  asked,  reproach* 
fully.  "Would  you  like  to  have  me  come  back  two 
months  later,  and  tell  you  my  love  had  ceased  ?" 

"  Yes,  if  it  was  the  truth.  How  much  better  than 
to  learn  it  after  my  vows  had  been  pledged  and  I 
was  bound  to  you  for  the  rest  of  my  days  !" 

He  rose  and  went  with  quick  steps  to  her  side, 
catching  up  her  hand  and  covering  it  with  kisses. 
She  did  her  best  to  stop  him,  whispering,  with  a 
glance  toward  the  door,  that  they  might  be  inter- 
rupted at  any  minute. 

"  By  whom  !"  he  retorted,  stung  at  her  coldness. 
"Your  sister  has  gone  up  stairs,  and  there  is  no  one 
else  in  the  house." 

"  Hannibal  might  come  in,"  she  said,  in  a  low 
tone.  "  He  has  no  way  of  knowing  that  I  do  not 
wish  to  be  interrupted." 

He  grew  angry  at  the  mention  of  that  name.  But 
the  warning  had  its  effect  and  he  sat  down,  nearer  to 
her  than  before,  his  heart  beating  rapidly. 

"  I  hate  the  fellow!"  he  exclaimed  bitterly.  "It 
is  a  good  thing  I  am  going  away,  or  I  should  strike 
him  some  day  for  his  insolence  !" 

Daisy  paled  at  the  vehemence  of  her  companion. 

"  Has  he  been  insolent  to  you  ?"  she  murmured. 

"  To  me  ?  He  would  not  dare  ?  What  angers 
me  is  the  way  he  speaks  to  the  rest  of  you.  He 
came  with  your  cloak  that  night,  acting  as  if  he  was 
your  master,  instead  of  your  servant.  I  have  heard 


134  A   BLACK    ADOXIS. 

him  speak  to  Mr.  Fern  in  a  way  that  made  me  want 
to  kick  him  !  Why  does  your  father  bear  it  ?  Why 
do  you  ?  Has  Hannibal  some  mysterious  hold  on 
his  situation  ?" 

The  girl  heard  him  patiently,  though  the  roses  did 
not  come  at  once  to  her  white  cheek. 

"  I  am  afraid,"  she  said,  when  he  had  finished  his 
tirade,  "  that  you  despise  him  for  his  color.  It  is  a 
prejudice  that  seems  to  me — and  to  my  father — 
unchristian  and  uncharitable.  Perhaps,  in  the 
anxiety  to  make  Hannibal  forget  that  God  gave  him 
a  darker  skin  than  ours,  we  may  have  gone  to  the 
other  extreme,  and  treated  him  with  too  great  con- 
sideration. But  I  think  you  overstate  the  case." 

Her  gentle  words  smote  upon  the  ears  that  heard 
them,  and  in  a  moment  Roseleaf  was  affected  by  the 
most  lively  contrition.  Without  attempting  to 
excuse  himself  he  begged  her  pardon,  which  she 
readily  granted. 

"  When  do  you  leave  us  ?"  she  asked. 

"To-morrow  morning." 

"  But  you  will  call — occasionally  ?" 

"If  I  may." 

His  tone  was  so  sad  that  Daisy  assured  him  he 
ought  to  have  no  doubt  of  that. 

"  I  understand,"  she  added,  "  that  you  have  prob- 
ably helped  Millie  to  a  reputation  that  she  craves 
above  everything,  and  she  ought  not  to  prove  entirely 
ungrateful.  We  have  enjoyed  your  stay  here,  and 
shall  be  most  sorry  to  have  you  go.  I  should  be  glad 
to  think  you  would  honor  us  with  your  company  to 
dinner  not  less  often  than  once  each  week." 


"OH,   BO   MAKY,   MAKT  MAIDS  !**  135 

For  the  first  time  a  ray  of  light  came  into  his 
face. 

"  Oh,  may  I  ?"  he  cried.  "  Then  I  shall  not  be 
shut  off  entirely  from  seeing  you  ?" 

"  No,  indeed,"  she  answered.  "  Father  likes  you 
and  Mr.  Weil  too  well — you  will  bring  him,  of  course. 
Once  a  week,  at  least — if  it  were  twice  it  wouldn't  do 
any  harm  ;  and  if  it  were  three  times — " 

His  face  was  now  one  bright  beam  of  light. 

"  Daisy,"  he  cried.  "  I  believe  you  do  not  hate  me 
after  all  !" 

"I  hope  you  never  thought  I  did,"  she  responded. 
"  Why  is  it  that  a  man  can  see  no  middle  ground  be- 
tween positive  dislike  and  marriage  ?  I  expect  to 
like  a  good  many  men  in  the  course  of  my  life,  but 
I  can  only  marry  a  very  few  of  them. 

He  was  obliged  to  laugh  at  this,  and  to  say  that 
she  would  only  marry  one,  if  he  had  his  way.  Before 
they  had  finished  with  this  subject  Roseieaf  was  in  a 
state  of  high  good  nature,  though  he  had  little 
apparently  upon  which  to  base  the  rise  in  his  spirits. 

"  Can't  I  say  something — just  a  hint,  if  no  more, 
to  your  father  ?"  he  asked,  getting  down  again  to 
business. 

"  Pretty  risky  !"  she  answered,  sententiously.  "  He 
wouldn't  give  you  much  encouragement  I  fear. ' 

The  young  man  caught  eagerly  at  the  word. 

"You  fear!1'  he  echoed.  "God  bless  you, 
Daisy  !" 

Bearing  in  mind  what  she  had  previously  said 
about  the  unlocked  doors,  he  did  not  attempt  to  suit 


136  A  BLACK  ADOKL3. 

the  action  to  the  phrase.  But  his  happy  face  spoke 
volumes. 

"You  had  best  say  very  little  to  father  at  pres- 
ent," said  Daisy,  soberly.  "  He  is  most  unhappy." 

"I  wish  I  knew  what  troubled  him  !"  he  ex- 
claimed. 

"  I  wish  so,  too,  if  you  could  aid  him,"  she 
answered,  earnestly. 

"Who  knows  but  I  may?"  he  asked,  with  a  smile 
that  she  hoped  would  prove  prophetic. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

ARCHIE   PAYS   ATTENTION. 

Roseleaf  took  rooms  at  his  old  lodgings  in  the 
city,  and  set  in  earnest  about  the  work  of  beginning 
his  great  novel.  He  had  interviews  with  Mr.  Gou- 
ger,  at  which  he  detailed  the  slight  thread  of  plot 
which  he  already  had  in  mind,  profiting  by  the 
critic's  shrewd  suggestions.  It  was  decided  that  he 
should  portray,  at  the  beginning,  a  youth  much  like 
himself,  who  was  to  fall  in  love  with  an  angelically 
pure  maiden.  The  outline  of  their  respective  char- 
acters were  to  be  sketched  with  care,  and  sundry 
obstacles  to  their  union  were  to  be  developed  as  the 
story  progressed.  Gouger  warned  his  young  friend 
not  to  write  too  fast,  and  to  content  himself  for  the 
present  with  delineating  the  phase  of  love  with 
which  he  had  become  familiar. 


AKOHIE   PATS  ATTENTION.  137 

**  Later  on,"  he  said,  "  when  your  hero  finds  that 
this  girl  is  not  all  his  bright  fancy  painted  her — 
when  it  is  proved  beyond  a  doubt  that  she  has  played 
him  false,  that  she  has  another  lover — '* 

Roseleaf  turned  pale. 

"  But  that  will  never  be  !"  he  interrupted. 

"  It  will,  of  course — in  the  story,"  corrected 
Gouger.  "  She  will  lead  him  a  race  that  will  make 
him  an  enemy  to  the  entire  sex,  if  she  is  used  for  all 
the  dramatic  effect  possible.  People  expect  to  find 
immaculate  purity  in  the  earlier  chapters  of  a  story, 
as  they  do  in  small  children.  With  the  progress  of 
the  action  they  look  for  something  more  exciting. 
To  sketch  a  seraph  who  remains  one  would  only  be 
to  repeat  the  failure  you  made  in  your  other  effort — 
the  one  you  brought  to  me  the  day  I  met  you  first. 
It  is  not  the  glory  of  heaven  that  attracts  audiences 
to  our  churches,  but  the  dramatic  quality  of  hell.  A 
sermon  without  a  large  spice  of  the  devil  in  i't  would 
be  much  worse  than  a  rendition  of  Hamlet  minus 
the  Prince.  Put  your  heroine  in  the  clouds,  if  you 
will,  at  the  beginning.  The  higher  she  goes,  the 
greater  will  be  her  fall,  and  the  greater,  consequently, 
your  triumph." 

The  young  novelist  shivered  as  he  listened  to  these 
expressions.  How  could  he  build  a  heroine  on  the 
Tiodel  of  Daisy  Fern,  and  conceive  the  possibility 
that  she  would  ever  allow  her  white  robes  to  touch 
the  earth  ?  He  might  have  constructed  such  a  plot 
with  Millicent  as  the  central  figure,  though  that 
would  be  by  no  means  easy  ;  but  Daisy  !  Impossi- 
ble I  He  asked  the  critic  if  it  would  not  do  to  send 


133  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

the  hero  of  the  tale  to  perdition,  while  leaving  his 
sweetheart  immaculate  to  the  close. 

"  No,"  said  Gouger,  decidedly.  "  A  man's  fall  is 
not  much  of  a  fall,  any  way  you  put  it.  The  public 
is  not  interested  in  such  matters.  It  demands  a 
female  sacrifice,  like  some  of  the  ancient  gods,  and  it 
will  not  be  appeased  with  less.  I  expect  you  to  be 
new  and  original  in  your  treatment  of  the  theme, 
but  the  subject  itself  is  as  old  as  fiction.  You  have 
too  little  imagination,  as  I  have  told  you  before. 
You  must  cultivate  that  talent.  Having  conceived 
your  paragon,  imagine  her  placed  under  temptations 
she  cannot  resist  ;  surround  her  with  an  environment 
from  which  she  cannot  break  ;  place  her  in  situations 
that  leave  her  no  escape." 

Roseleaf  shook  his  head. 

"  I  am  afraid  I  never  shall  be  able  to  do  it,"  he 
said. 

"  Pshaw  !  Don't  talk  of  failure  at  this  stage  of  the 
game.  All  you  have  to  do  is  to  introduce  upon  the 
scene  a  thoroughly  unprincipled  man  of  good  ad- 
dress, who  is  fertile  in  expedients.  You  will  find 
your  model  for  that  among  a  dozen  of  your  acquaint- 
ances. Why,  take  Archie  Weil,  and  hold  him  in 
your  mind  till  you  are  saturated  with  him." 

What  did  Mr.  Gouger  mean?  That  Mr.  Weil 
would  actually  do  these  dreadful  things,  would  in 
his  own  person  perpetrate  the  outrage  of  winning  a 
pure  girl  to  shame.  It  seemed  childish  to  ask  such 
a  question,  and  yet  such  a  meaning  could  easily  be 
taken  from  what  the  critic  had  said.  No,  no  !  All 
fee  could  have  meant  was  that  Mr.  Weil  might  serve 


AROBIB    PAYS   ATTfiVTIOX.  139 

as  a  figure  on  which  to  lay  these  sins — that  he  could 
be  carried  in  the  writer's  mind,  as  a  costumer  uses  a 
stuffed  frame  to  hang  garments  on  while  in  the  pro* 
cess  of  manufacture. 

"  Then  «here  is  Boggs,"  added  Gouger,  with  a 
laugh.  "  You  ought  to  find  some  place  for  a  fellow 
like  him,  if  tnily  for  the  comic  parts  of  your  novel,  and 
there  must  be  a  little  humor  in  a  book  that  is  to  suit 
the  mass.  A  vrriter  for  a  magazine  said  recently  with 
much  truth,  '  Hk  who  would  hit  thrf  popular  taste 
must  aim  low.'  <  think  Boggs  could  furnish  the 
cheap  fun  for  an  ordinary  novel,  without  too  great  a 
wear  on  the  writer.  Go  ahead,  my  boy.  Write  a 
half  dozen  chapters  "*n  your  own  idyllic  way,  and 
then  get  Archie  to  take  you  to  a  few  places  where 
your  mind  will  be  turned  to  opposite  scenes.  It 
takes  all  sorts  of  edibles  to  suit  the  modern  palate." 

So  Roseleaf  wrote,  slowly,  patiently,  with  devotion 
to  his  art,  until  he  had  completed  five  chapters  of  his 
story.  And  Gouger  read  it  and  went  into  ecstacies, 
declaring  it  the  best  foundation  he  had  ever  seen  for 
a  most  entrancing  romance. 

"  He  has  wrought  his  people  up  to  such  a  super- 
lative height,"  said  the  critic  to  Mr.  Weil,  "  that  the 
chute  will  be  simply  tremendous  !  How  simply,  how 
elegantly  his  sentences  flow!  If  he  can  handle  the 
necessary  wickedness  that  must  follow,  the  sale  of 
*  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,'  or  '  Thou  Shalt  Not,' will  be 
eclipsed  without  the  least  doubt.  But,  the  question 
still  is,  can  he  ?" 

"There's  no  such  question,"  was  the  response. 
"  He  must,  that's  the  way  to  put  it.  Confound  it,  he 


140  A    BLACK   ADONIS. 

shall !    And  the  next  thing  for  him  to  do  is  to  take 

a  few  visits  with  me  to  the  underground  regions, 
where  he  can  get  such  slight  shocks  to  his  literary 
system  as  will  enable  him  to  take  up  the  vein  he 
must  work." 

During  this  time  Roseleaf  did  not  forget  the  invit- 
ation he  had  received  to  dine  with  the  Ferns.  It 
did  him  good  to  see  Daisy,  although  he  could  not 
now  get  her  for  a  moment  to  himself.  He  sighed  to 
her  over  the  table,  and  across  the  parlor,  after  the 
party  had  retired  to  that  part  of  the  house,  and  she 
answered  Mm  with  little  bright  smiles  that  acted  like 
an  emollient  on  his  hurt  spirit.  He  had  never  found 
the  courage  to  beard  her  father  in  his  den — of  wool 
— and  was  not  even  sure  that  the  affair  had  reached 
a  stage  where  anything  could  be  gained  by  taking 
such  a  step.  What  he  wanted  was  a  word  of  assur- 
ance from  Daisy  that  she  would  wait  for  him  till  he 
had  made  a  Name  in  literature,  or  proved  his  ability 
in  some  definite  manner.  There  was  no  indication 
that  any  one  else  was  in  the  way  ;  everything  pointed 
to  a  contrary  probability.  But  there  is  nothing  so 
desolate  as  the  heart  of  a  lover  whose  fair  one  is  just 
beyond  his  reach. 

Mr.  Weil  accompanied  Shirley  on  most  of  these 
visits,  and  knew  very  well  what  was  going  on. 
None  of  the  glances  exchanged  between  the  young 
people  were  so  much  their  exclusive  property  as  they 
believed.  Had  Archie  possessed  eyes  in  the  back 
and  sides  of  his  head,  he  could  have  seen  little  more 
than  he  did.  While  appearing  to  devote  his  entire 
attention  to  Mr.  Fern  and  Millicent— principally  the 


ARCHIE  PATS  ATTENT10H,         141 

former,  he  found  time  to  watch  Roseleaf  and  Daisy, 
and  even  the  negro  Hannibal. 

He  noticed  that  the  servant  was  no  less  devoted 
than  formerly  to  the  youngest  member  of  the  house- 
hold. He  saw  him  hover  around  her  at  the  table 
like  a  protecting  spirit,  letting  her  want  for  nothing 
that  thoughtfulness  could  procure.  And  he  noticed 
that  Daisy  seemed  as  oblivious  of  this  as  she  had 
always  been.  She  accepted  these  extraordinary 
attentions  quite  as  if  Hannibal  were  some  automaton, 
acting  with  a  set  of  concealed  springs — a  mechanism 
in  which  there  was  nothing  of  human  life  or  intelli- 
gence. 

Mr.  Fern  was  the  same  gentlemanly  host  as  of 
yore,  with  the  same  dark  cloud  hanging  over  him, 
whatever  might  be  its  cause.  Courteous  by  nature 
to  an  exceptional  degree  he  could  not  assume  a 
gayety  he  did  not  feel.  There  was  some  terrible 
weight  bearing  him  down,  some  awful  incubus  of 
which  he  was  unable  to  rid  himself.  The  only 
person  who  did  not  notice  it  was  Millicent,  and  the 
one  it  troubled  most  was  Daisy,  on  whose  sweet 
young  face  the  share  she  had  in  her  parent's  griefs 
had  already  begun  to  leave  its  impressions. 

Millicent's  novel  was  soon  placed  in  Mr.  Gouger's 
hands,  completed.  The  original  theme  was  unal- 
tered, but  in  its  new  garb  of  perfect  English  no  one 
would  have  recognized  the  rejected  work.  The  com- 
bination of  the  girl's  strength  of  mind  and  the  man's 
elegance  of  diction  was  successful.  The  critic  rec 
ommended  its  acceptance  without  a  word  of  dis- 
seot,  and  Cutt  &  Slashem  even  consented,  on  his 


142  A   BLACK 

suggestion,  to  forego  the  guarantee  against  loss 
which  they  had  of  late  demanded  from  all  authors 
whose  names  were  unknown  to  the  reading  public. 

"  I  have  fixed  it  for  you,  Archie,"  he  said,  when 
that  gentleman  next  made  his  appearance  at  the 
sanctum.  "No  deposit  or  guarantee,  and  ten  per 
cent,  of  the  retail  price  for  royalty.  So  take  a  train 
to  your  inamorata's  house  and  tell  her  the  news." 

Mr.  Weil  did  not  seem  to  wholly  relish  the  an- 
nouncement. 

"  In  the  first  place,"  he  remarked,  "  you  have  no 
business  to  speak  of  Miss  Fern  as  my  inamorata  ; 
and  in  the  second  you  will  pay  her  more  than  ten  per 
cent,  or  you  won't  get  the  book  to  print." 

At  this,  Mr.  Gouger,  after  the  manner  of  all  pub- 
lishers and  their  agents,  proceeded  to  show  to  Mr. 
Weil  that  it  was  perfectly  impossible  to  pay  another 
cent  more  than  the  figure  he  had  named  ;  and  be- 
fore he  had  finished  he  agreed  to  see  the  firm  and 
get  the  amount  raised  considerably,  provided  the 
sales  should  exceed  five  thousand  copies.  In  short, 
Mr.  Weil  secured  a  very  respectable  contract  for  a 
new  author,  and  one  that  was  sure  to  please  Miss 
Fern,  if  she  was  in  the  least  degree  reasonable. 

"  I  wish  you  would  hurry  up  Roseleaf,"  remarked 
Gouger,  when  this  matter  was  disposed  of.  "When 
will  you  take  him  down  into  the  depths  and  let  him 
see  that  side  of  life  ?" 

"I  have  arranged  a  journey  for  to-morrow  night," 
said  Weil.  "  We  shall  go  to  Isaac  Leveson's  and 
make  an  evening  of  it.  Unless  things  are  dif- 
ferent there  from  usual,  he  will  lay  the  foundation 


DIKING  AT  ISAAC'S,  143 

for  all  the  wickedness  he  needs  to  put  into  hia 
story." 

The  critic  nodded  approval. 

"  He  will  probably  have  a  Jew  in  it,  then — a  mod- 
ernized Fagan." 

"  Yes,"  said  Weil.  "  And  a  negro.  A  tall,  well- 
built  negro,  who  has  a  white  man  for  his  slave  !" 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DINING   AT  ISAAC'S. 

On  the  following  day,  when  Shirley  Roseleaf  pre- 
sented himself  at  the  Hoffman  House,  he  found  Mr. 
Weil  awaiting  him  in  a  state  of  great  good  nature. 

"  Go  home  and  make  yourself  ready  for  a  dive 
into  the  infernal  regions,"  he  said,  merrily.  "  I  am 
going  to  take  you  to  a  place  where  the  devil  spends 
his  vacation,  and  show  you  a  set  of  women  as 
different  from  those  you  have  lately  met  as  chalk  is 
from  indigo.  Be  here  at  nine  o'clock  this  evening, 
prepared  for  the  descent." 

A  vision  of  subterranean  passages  crossed  the 
mind  of  the  listener,  and  he  thought  of  tall  boots 
and  a  tarpaulin. 

"  How  shall  I  dress — roughly,  I  suppose  ?"  he 
inquired. 

"  Certainly  not.  Put  on  your  swallow  tail,  and 
white  tie.  Vice  in  thesa  days  wears  its  best 


14*  A  BLACK    ADONIS. 

garments.  You  cannot  tell  a  gambler  from  a  clergy- 
man by  his  attire.  Dress  exactly  as  if  you  were 
going  to  the  swellest  party  on  Fifth  Avenue.  The 
only  addition  to  your  toilet  will  be  a  revolver,  if  you 
happen  to  have  one  handy.  If  you  do  not,  I  have 
several  and  will  lend  you  one." 

If  he  expected  to  startle  the  young  man  he  was  in 
error.  Roseleaf  merely  nodded  and  said  he  would 
take  one  of  the  weapons  owned  by  Mr.  Weil. 

"  We  shall  not  use  them — there  are  a  thousand 
chances  to  one,"  said  Archie.  "  New  York  is  like 
Montana.  You  remember  what  the  resident  said  to 
the  tenderfoot,  '  You  may  be  a  long  time  without 
wantin'  a  we'p'n  in  these  parts,  but  when  you  do 
you'll  want  it  d — d  sudden." 

When  Roseleaf  returned,  the  hands  of  his  watch 
indicated  the  time  at  which  he  had  been  asked  to 
make  his  appearance,  but  Mr.  Weil  did  not  take  him 
immediately  to  the  point  of  destination.  Instead  he 
walked  over  to  a  variety  theatre  that  was  then  in 
operation  on  Twenty-third  street,  and  after  spending 
a  short  time  in  the  auditorium  guided  the  young 
man  into  the  "  wineroom."  Here  the  ladies  of  the 
ballet  were  in  the  habit  of  going  when  off  the  stage, 
for  the  sake  of  entertaining  the  patrons  with  their 
light  and  frivolous  conversation,  and  inducing  them  if 
possible,  to  invest  in  champagne  at  five  dollars  the 
bottle. 

Archie  was,  it  appeared,  not  unknown  to  the  throng 
that  filled  this  place,  for  his  name  was  spoken  by 
several  of  both  sexes  as  soon  as  he  entered.  He 
nodded  coolly  to  those  who  addressed  him,  and  took 


Drama  AT  ISAAC'S.  145 

a  seat  at  a  table  with  his  companion.  With  a  shake 
of  his  head  he  dejclined  the  offers  of  two  or  three 
fairies  of  the  ballet  to  share  the  table,  and  ordered  a 
bottle  of  Mumm  with  the  evident  intention  of  drink- 
ing it  alone  with  his  friend. 

Roseleaf  slowly  sipped  the  sparkling  beverage. 
He  was  cautioned  in  a  whisper  to  drink  but  one  glass, 
as  it  was  necessary  that  he  should  keep  a  perfectly 
clear  head.  Weil  remarked  in  an  undertone  that  he 
had  only  ordered  the  wine  as  an  excuse  for  remain- 
ing a  few  minutes. 

"  I  call  this  *  the  slaughter  house,' "  he  added,  in 
a  voice  still  lower.  "  Girls  are  brought  here  to  be 
murdered.  Not  to  have  their  throats  cut,'*  he  ex- 
plained, "  but  to  be  killed  just  as  surely,  if  more 
slowly.  I  have  seen  them  come  here  for  the  first 
time,  with  good  health  shining  out  of  their  rosy 
cheeks,  delighted  at  the  unwonted  excitement  and 
the  amount  of  attention  the  frequenters  of  the  place 
bestowed.  I  have  watched  them  growing  steadily 
paler,  having  recourse  to  rouge,  the  eyes  getting 
dimmer,  the  voice  growing  harsher,  the  temper  be- 
coming more  variable.  And  then — other  fresh  faces 
came  in  their  stead.  There  are  killed,  on  an  aver- 
age, twenty  girls  a  year  here,  I  should  say  ;  killed  to 
satisfy  the  appetites  of  men,  as  beeves  are  killed  in 
Chicago,  but  not  so  mercifully." 

The  novelist  looked  into  the  faces  that  were  near- 
est to  him  and  thought  he  could  discern  the  various 
grades  of  which  his  friend  spoke — the  new,  the 
older,  the  ones  whose  turn  to  give  way  to  others 
would  soon  come.  All  of  them  were  drinking. 


146  i.   BLAO&   ADQJTI& 

Most  had  on  the  stage  dresses  they  had  just  worn  or 
were  about  to  wear  in  the  performance.  Some  had 
finished  their  parts  and  were  enveloped  in  street 
clothes,  ready  to  take  their  departure  with  the  first 
male  who  asked  them.  And  they  were  drinking, 
drinking,  either  in  little  sips  or  in  feverish  gulps,  as 
they  would  at  a  later  day,  when  the  five-dollar  wine 
would  be  replaced  by  five  cent  beer  or  perhaps  the 
drainings  of  a  keg  on  the  sidewalk. 

Mr.  Walker  Boggs  soon  came  into  the  wine-room 
and  joined  the  pair  at  Mr.  Weil's  table.  He  called 
for  a  whiskey  straight,  pushing  the  champagne  aside 
with  an  impatient  movement. 

"  I  won't  punish  my  stomach  with  such  stuff,  even 
if  it  has  gone  back  on  me,"  he  exclaimed.  "  That 
will  knock  out  any  man  who  drinks  it  between 
meals." 

Mr.  Weil  assented  to  this  proposition,  and  to  show 
kis  full  belief  in  it  filled  his  own  glass  again  and 
tossed  its  contents  down  his  throat. 

"  What  brings  you  here  ?"  he  asked,  quizzically. 

"Those  creatures,"  replied  Boggs,  with  a  motion 
of  his  hand  toward  the  members  of  the  ballet. 
"They're  all  that's  left  me  now.  They  don't  mind 
the  size  of  my  waist.  My  hold  on  them  is  as  strong 
as  ever.  "But  you  ought  not  to  be  here,"  he  broke  in, 
turning  to  Roseleaf.  "  It  will  be  years  before  you 
get  to  this  stage,  I  hope." 

Mr.  Weil  hastened  to  explain. 

"  Shirley  is  merely  observing,"  said  he.  "  He 
came  at  my  request.  We  are  going  next  to  Isaac 
Leveson's." 


AT  ISAAC'S  147 

Mr.  Boggs  grew  interested. 

"  So,  so  !  You  intend  to  show  him  Isaac's  to- 
night ?" 

"  Yes.     Isn't  it  a  good  idea  ?" 

The  stout  man  shrugged  his  shoulders  as  if  he  had 
nothing  to  say  on  that  point.  The  movement  was 
essentially  a  Frenchy  one  and  might  have  meant 
anything. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  go  with  us,"  said 
Archie. 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  there  ?" 

"  Tell  Mr.  Roseleaf  all  the  secrets." 

Mr.  Boggs  stared  at  the  speaker. 

"  Isaac  won't  let  you,"  he  answered,  grimly. 

"Won't  he  ?  He'll  have  to.  Why,  what's  the  odds  ? 
The  boy  won't  give  him  away.  And  if  he  should — " 
His  voice  sank  to  a  whisper. 

Mr.  Weil  then  proceeded  to  explain  to  his  young 
friend  that  "  Isaac's  "  was  a  peculiar  affair,  even  for 
Gotham.  It  had  entrances  on  two  streets.  Into  one 
door  went  the  most  respectable  of  people,  intent  on 
getting  an  exceptionably  good  dinner,  which  was 
always  to  be  had  there,  cooked  in  the  French  style 
and  elegantly  served.  At  that  end  of  the  house 
there  were  several  dining-rooms  that  would  hold  forty 
or  fifty  guests,  and  several  others  made  to  accommo- 
date family  parties  of  six  to  twelve.  If  a  couple 
happened  to  stray  in  and  inquire  for  a  room  to  them- 
selves the  head  waiter  informed  them  that  it  was 
against  the  rule  of  the  house  to  serve  a  private  din- 
ner to  lest  than  four  people, 

It  was  evident  that  the  establishment  was  co»- 


«43  A   BLACK  ADONIS. 

duci«<t  on  the  most  moral  principles,  and  in  a  way 
to  prevent  the  possibility  of  scandal,  For  though  a 
great  many  couples  undoubtedly  take  dinners  in 
private  rooms  with  the  utmost  propriety,  it  must  be 
admitted  that  Such  a  course  is  open  to  suspicion  and 
might  be  used  as  a  basis  for  unpleasant  rumors. 
Mr.  Leveson,  who  kept  this  hotel,  took  great  pride  in 
saying  that  nothing  in  all  New  York  bore  a  better 
name,  and  no  amount  of  bribery  would  have  induced 
one  of  his  employes — on  that  side  of  the  house — to 
vary  the  rules  laid  down. 

But  on  the  other  side  of  the  building — at  the 
entrance  on  the  other  street — ah,  that  WHS  different  ! 

If  only  the  most  respectable  customers  entered  the 
first  door  it  was  almost  equally  true  that  none  but 
those  who  lacked  that  quality  used  the  second.  Mr. 
Leveson  sometimes  remarked  with  glee,  at  twelve 
o'clock  at  night,  that  he  would  give  a  hundred  dol- 
lar bill  for  an  honest  man  or  woman  in  any  of  the 
rooms  up-stairs.  The  waiters  had  instructions  to 
"  size  up "  all  comers  with  care,  and  to  admit  no 
accidental  parties  who  might  apply  for  entrance 
under  a  misapprehension  as  to  the  character  of  the 
place. 

"  We  are  all  full,  sorry  to  say, "was  the  established 
formula.  "There  is  a  very  good  restaurant  just 
around  the  corner,  on  •  --th  street."  And  in  this 
manner  the  shrewd  restaurateur  got  all  the  custom 
he  wanted,  while  preserving  the  natural  atmosphere 
in  each  part  of  his  dominions. 

The  meals  served  in  these  two  places  were  pre- 
pared by  one  chef,  and  served  from  one  kitchen. 


DINING   AT   ISAAC'S.  149 

Thus  the  virtuous  and  vicious  patrons  were  supplied 
with  exactly  the  same  dishes.  But  on  what  may  be 
called  the  Good  side  nothing  stronger  that  wines 
were  found  on  the  bill  of  fare.  On  the  Wicked  side 
every  decoction  know  to  the  modern  drinker  was  to 
be  had  for  the  asking.  Then,  again,  the  doors  ol 
the  Good  side  were  closed  at  eleven  o'clock,  while  it 
was  often  daylight  before  the  last  patron  of  the  Sin- 
ful side  reeled  into  his  carriage. 

After  a  little  more  talk  Mr.  Boggs  seemed  satisfied 
and  consented  to  join  the  party. 

Mr.  Leveson  was  notified  of  the  presence  of  the 
newcomers  and  met  them  at  the  door.  Isaac  was  of 
a  decidedly  Jewish  cast  of  countenance,  slightly  gray, 
not  very  tall,  and  quite  round  shouldered.  He.  put 
out  a  lank  hand  toward  Roseleaf,  when  that  young 
gentleman  was  named  as  a  matter  of  introduction, 
but  put  it  down  again  when  Mr.  Weil  curtly  said 
handshaking  was  out  of  date.  Archie  had  seen  »  dis- 
inclination in  the  eye  of  his  friend  to  touch  the  fin- 
gers of  the  Hebrew,  and  with  his  usual  quickness  had 
solved  the  difficulty.  The  party  entered  a  private 
office  at  the  left  of  the  entrance,  where  Mr.  Leveson 
inquired  what  he  should  order  for  them  to  drink. 

"You  will  order  nothing,  at  present,"  said  Weil,  in 
a  contemptuous  way  that  excited  the  astonishment 
of  Mr.  Roseleaf.  "  When  I  wish  for  anything  I  will 
ring.  Who  is  there  in  the  house  ?" 

The  manager  of  the  establishment  bowed  humbly, 
and  proceeded  to  run  over  the  list  of  his  customers. 

"  There  is  Major  Waters  and  his  wife—" 

"  Together  I"  exclaimed  the  questioner. 


Ifid  A  BLACK   ADQHtfl. 

"  Oh,  no !  The  Major  has  the  little  blonde  that  he 
has  brought  for  the  last  month  ;  his  wife  has  Mr. 
Nikles  of  the  Planet.  Then — " 

But  Mr.  Weil  interrupted  him  again. 

"  You'll  let  them  run  into  each  other  some  day  and 
there'll  be  a  nice  time." 

"  Never  fear  that.  The  boys  understand  thorough- 
ly. He  comes  earlier  and  stays  later  than  she. 
Besides,  we  never  let  anybody  meet  on  the  stairs. 
The  waiters  cry  out,  *  You  must  go  back  ;  it  is  bad 
luck  !'  if  any  of  them  seem  in  danger  of  running  into 
each  other.  They  are  as  safe  from  discovery  here  as 
if  they  were  in  places  a  mile  apart." 

Some  one  descended  the  stairs  at  this  moment  and 
Leveson  tiptoed  to  the  door  and  opened  it  half  an 
inch  to  peer  at  them. 

"  You  know  I  have  no  object  in  saying  these 
things,"  said  Weil,  "except  to  save  your  precious 
ielf  from  trouble.  Who  is  that  going  out  ?" 

"  Some  new  people  ;  it  is  the  third  time  they  have 
been  here." 

"Well,"  asked  Weil,  impatiently,  "  who  are  they  ?" 

Leveson  held  up  both  his  hands  as  if  to  beg  a 
moment  to  answer. 

"  They  come  from  Brooklyn.  I  don't  know  their 
names.  I  think  neither  is  married." 

"  I  have  a  curiosity  about  things,"  explained  Weil 
to  his  friends,  "that  I  cannot  account  for.  "You 
remember  how  Silas  Wegg  used  to  talk  about  'Aunt 
Jane '  and  '  Uncle  Parker.'  Well,  I  have  the  same 
way  of  studying  the  men  that  wander  in  here  of  an 
evening,  with  other  people's  wives  and  daughters, 


AT  ISAAC'S.  151 

There  is  so  little  really  entertaining  in  this  con- 
founded world  that  I  seize  upon  anything  promising 
a  change  with  avidity.  Isaac  tells  me  all  the  secrets 
of  his  queer  ranch,  and  they  prove  wonderfully  inter- 
esting, sometimes.  You  see,"  he  added,  addressing 
himself  particularly  to  Roseleaf,  "  not  a  couple  comes 
info  this  place  that  would  like  to  have  it  known." 

Roseleaf  bowed  constrainedly. 

"  And  how  does  Mr.  Leveson  know  them  ?"  he  in- 
quired. "  They  surely  do  not  register,  or  if  they  do 
their  names  must  be  fictitious." 

Mr.  Weil  laughed. 

"  He  has  ways  of  finding  out,"  said  he.  "  There 
are  little  birds  that  fly  in  at  the  window  and  tell 
him." 

"  I  should  not  think  he  would  wish  to  know,"  com- 
mented Roseleaf.  "  Especially  when  it  is  evident 
they  would  not  like  to  have  him." 

Archie  laughed  again. 

"  Let  me  explain,  then,"  he  said.  "  I  need  not 
mind  Boggs  here,  who  is  discretion  itself.  Leveson's 
reason — of  course,  I  can  rely  on  your  silence  ?" 

The  young  face  reddened  at  the  insinuation  that 
he  might  betray  a  secret. 

"  I  was  sure  of  it,"  said  Archie,  so  quickly  that 
Roseleaf  felt  at  ease  again.  "  Well,  the  reason  why 
Isaac  wants  to  know  what  is  going  on  is,  he  is  con- 
nected with  the  police." 

Roseleaf  said  "Ah  !"  and  opened  his  eyes  wider. 

"  People  who  go  to  places  like  this,"  continued 
Mr.  Weil,  "  are  of  great  interest  to  the  guardians  of 
the  peace.  And  by  the  police  I  do  not  mean  the 


152  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

members  of  the  regular  force  so  much  as  the  special 
service.  It  is  to  the  latter  that  we  go  when  a  confi- 
dential clerk  has  robbed  us  or  we  become  suspicious 
that  our  wives  are  unfaithful.  Nine  times  out  of  ten 
the  chief  of  the  private  detective  office  knows  in  ad- 
vance all  we  wish  him  to  ferret  out.  When  he  has 
told  us  that  we  will  set  investigations  on  foot,  and 
that  he  hopes  to  learn  something  of  the  matter 
within  a  few  days,  he  bows  us  out  of  his  bureau  with 
an  air  that  implies  that  we  have  not  come  to  the 
wrong  party.  And  as  soon  as  we  are  gone  he  turns 
to  a  ledger,  and  in  a  few  minutes  has  found  an  ab- 
stract that  tells  him  everything. 

"  Let  us  suppose,"  said  Mr.  Weil,  "  that  a  jeweler 
misses  twenty  valuable  pieces  of  bijouterie  from  his 
stock.  The  circumstances  prove  that  they  were 
taken  by  some  one  in  his  employ.  He  thinks  of  his 
clerks,  and  cannot  find  the  heart  to  accuse  any  of 
them  of  such  a  grave  crime.  He  goes  to  the  detec- 
tive office  and  states  his  case.  When  he  is  gone  the 
chief  turns  to  the  book  and  finds  this  : 

"*L.  M.  Jenkins,  clerk  at  Abram  Cohen's,  Sixth 
Avenue;  about  twenty-three,  medium  height,  dark, 
dresses  well.  Rooms  at  No. —  Twenty-Ninth  street. 
Has  been  giving  expensive  suppers  as  well  as  valua- 
ble jewelry  to  Mamie  Sanders,  No.  so-and-so,  Such-a- 
street.  They  dined  together  at  Isaac  Leveson's  on 
such-and-such  dates.'  Etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

"  Now,  he  can  recover  the  jewelry  and  get  that 
clerk  into  quod  in  three  hours,  if  he  likes.  Naturally 
he  won't  expedite  things  in  that  way,  because  he 
wants  some  excuse  for  running  up  a  large  bill,  unless 


DINING  AT  ISAAC'S.  153 

it  be  a  bank  case,  where  he  prefers  to  make  a  great 
impression  and  get  himself  solid  with  the  directors. 
But  he  will  collar  the  fellow  and  recover  the  stuff, 
and  all  because  he  knew  about  it  long  before  any  one 
in  the  store  had  a  suspicion." 

Mr.  Leveson  returned.  Mr.  Weil  asked  that  one  of 
the  private  rooms  on  the  second  floor  be  put  in 
order  at  once,  for  himself  and  friends.  He  then  in- 
quired what  ladies  were  in  the  house  unoccupied  by 
escorts. 

"  Miss  Pelham  has  been  waiting  an  hour  for  the 
Judge,"  replied  Isaac,  "  but  I  don't  think  he'll  come. 
He  disappoints  her  half  the  time  now.  And  Mrs. 
Delavan,  who  has  just  come  in,  found  a  note  from 
Col.  Lamorest,  asking  her  to  excuse  him  to-night." 

Archie  looked  pleased. 

"  They'll  do,"  he  said.  "  Tell  them  to  come  and 
dine  with  us.  But,"  he  paused,  and  looked  at  Rose- 
leaf,  "  we  need  still  another." 

The  color  mounted  to  the  cheeks  of  the  young 
novelist,  as  he  understood  the  thought  that  prompted 
this  statement. 

"  Not  on  my  account — I  would  much  rather  not/' 
he  stammered. 

"You  will  kindly  leave  that  to  my  judgment,"  re- 
plied Archie,  impressively.  "  Remember,  you  are 
not  the  instructor  here,  but  the  pupil.  There  must 
be  some  one  else,  Isaac." 

Mr.  Leveson  hesitated.  He  was  mentally  going 
over  the  rooms  upstairs  and  taking  stock  of  what 
was  in  them. 

"  There  are  two  girls,"  he  said,  at  last,  "  who  used 


Ifct  A.    BLACK    A.DOtfN. 

to  work  in  one  of  the  dry  goods  stores,  but  you 
wouldn't  want  them.  They  are  very  strict,  and  they 
dress  plainly, — and  I  am  afraid  the  other  ladies 
wouldn't  like  to  associate  with  them." 

Mr.  Weil  grew  vastly  irritated  by  this  statement. 
He  brought  his  hand  down  on  the  table  with  a  bang. 

"  The  other  ladies  !"  he  echoed,  angrily.  "  When 
you  tell  Mrs.  Delavan  and  Jenny  Pelham  that  you 
want  them  to  dine  with  us,  you  know  that  ends  it  ! 
As  to  these  shop  girls,  what  do  you  mean  by  calling 
them  strict?  What  would  a  strict  girl  be  doing  in 
this  house  ?" 

Mr.  Leveson  cringed  before  his  interrogator  and 
made  the  old,  imploring  movement  with  his  hands. 

"Let  me  explain,"  he  said.  "These  girls  came 
here  a  few  weeks  ago  with  some  traveling  men. 
They  took  dinner,  but  Adolf  says  neither  drank  a 
drop  of  wine.  A  few  days  later  they  came  again, 
with  other  escorts,  and  the  same  thing  occurred." 

"Why  did  you  let  them  in  ?"  demanded  Weil. 

"  Because  I  knew  the  gentlemen." 

Archie  started  to  say  something,  but  checked  him- 
self. 

"  And  after  that  they  came  alone  and  asked  to  see 
me,"  pursued  Isaac,  humbly.  "They  said  they  had 
been  thrown  out  of  work,  and  thought  there  might 
be  an  opportunity  to  do  something  here,  like  waiting 
on  the  guests.  And  while  we  were  talking,  two  old 
customers  of  the  house  called  to  dine,  alone,  and 
asked  me  if  they  could  get  some  one  to  share  the 
meal  with  them.  And,  it  teemed  quito  providen- 
tial—" 


A    QU£STXG#    OS   OOLOJk  IS® 

Archie  stopped  the  voluble  speech  by  striking  his 
hands  sharply  together. 

"  Enough  !"  he  said.  "  When  the  dinner  is  ready 
send  one  of  them  in.  That  will  make  the  three  we 
need." 

In  half  an  hour  the  dinner  was  ready  to  be  served. 
Then  Isaac  came  with  the  information  that  the  girls 
refused  to  be  separated. 

"  What  a  nuisance  !"  exclaimed  Weil.  "  Well,  send 
both  of  them,  then.  We'll  take  care  of  them,  some- 
how." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A  QUESTION   OF   COLOR. 

The  next  morning,  when  Roseleaf  awoke,  he  was 
for  some  time  in  a  sort  of  stupor.  Through  the  bright 
sunlight  that  filled  his  room  he  seemed  to  scent  the 
fumes  of  tobacco  and  of  liquor.  The  place  was 
filled,  he  imagined,  with  that  indefinable  aroma  that 
proceeds  from  a  convivial  company  made  up  of  both 
sexes.  He  half  believed  that  Jennie  Pelham  and 
Mrs.  Delevan  were  sitting  by  his  bed,  more  brazen 
than  the  bell  which,  from  a  neighboring  steeple,  told 
him  the  hour  was  ten.  And  surely,  by  those  curtains 
there,  hiding  the  flame  that  filled  their  cheeks,  were 
the  two  "  shop-girls,"  their  pinched  faces  denoting 
slow  starvation.  Boggs,  and  Isaac  Leveson,  and 
Archie  Weil  were  there,  all  of  them  ;  and  the  young 


ADOHI3. 

man  tossed  uneasily  on  his  pillow,  struggling  with 
the  remnant  of  nightmare  that  remained  to  cloud  his 
brain. 

When  he  was  able  to  think  and  see  clearly  he  sat 
up  and  rang  for  a  pitcher  of  ice  water.  He  was  con- 
sumed by  thirst,  and  his  forehead  ached  blindly. 
When  he  had  bathed  his  head  and  throat  he  turned, 
by  a  sudden  impulse,  to  his  table,  and  took  out  the 
MSS.  of  the  story  he  had  begun.  Slowly  he  read 
over  the  pages,  to  the  last  one.  Then,  seizing  his 
pen,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  next  chapter,  without 
dressing,  without  breakfasting. 

It  was  four  o'clock  when  he  ceased  work.  He 
realized  all  at  once  that  he  was  feeling  ill.  The  fact 
dawned  upon  him  that  he  needed  food,  and  donning 
his  garments,  he  took  his  way  listlessly  to  a  restaur- 
ant and  ordered  something  to  eat.  As  he  swallowed 
the  morsels,  he  fell  to  wondering  how  much  tempta- 
tion he  would  be  able  to  bear,  with  hunger  as  a  back- 
ground. 

He  passed  a  good  part  of  the  evening  in  walking 
the  streets,  selecting,  instinctively,  sections  where  lie 
was  least  likely  to  meet  any  one  he  knew.  When  he 
returned  to  his  room  he  read  over  the  MSS.  he  had 
written  that  day,  and  into  his  troubled  brain  there 
came  a  sense  of  pleasure,  Gouger  was  right.  To 
tell  of  such  matters  in  a  novel,  one  should  know 
them  himself.  Roseleaf  could  never  have  written 
of  vice  before  he  saw  Leveson's.  Now,  it  was  as 
plain  to  him  as  print,  almost  as  easy  to  use  in  fiction 
as  virtue.  What  was  to  follow  ?  He  pondered  over 
the  plot  he  had  mapped  out,  and  it  grew  clearer. 


A   QUESTION   OF   COLOR.  157 

Daisy  had  given  him  no  further  encouragement — 
at  least  in  words — since  that  day  she  had  said  it  was 
**  risky  "to  ask  her  father,  but  he  felt  certain  that 
she  regarded  him  with  favor,  and  that  if  Mr.  Fern 
put  no  obstacles  in  the  Way  she  would  not  refuse 
to  wed  him  when  the  right  time  came.  He  thought 
it  would  be  wise  to  obtain  one  more  brief  interview 
with  her,  before  proceeding  to  extremities,  and  de- 
termined to  do  his  best  to  draw  her  aside,  when  he 
made  his  next  visit  to  her  house.  This  settled,  he 
went  to  bed  again  and  slept  soundly. 

When  the  day  to  go  to  Midlands  arrived  Shirley's 
courage  began  to  ooze  a  little.  So  much  depended 
upon  the  attitude  of  his  dear  one's  mind,  which,  for 
all  he  knew,  had  changed  since  he  talked  with  her, 
that  he  fairly  trembled  with  apprehension.  He 
avoided  Mr.  Weil,  with  whom  he  usually  took  the 
train,  and  went  out  early.  Alighting  at  a  station  a 
mile  or  two  away  from  the  right  one,  he  walked 
through  the  woods,  trying  to  think  how  to  act  in 
case  matters  did  not  turn  out  as  he  hoped.  Under 
the  branches  he  strolled  along,  until  he  came  within 
sight  of  the  roofs  of  Midlands  ;  and  then  he  threw 
himself  at  the  foot  of  a  tree  close  to  Mr.  Fern's 
grounds,  and  gave  himself  up  to  reverie. 

When  he  laid  down  here  it  was  only  five  o'clock, 
and  he  was  not  expected  at  the  house  for  a  full  hour. 
It  pleased  him  to  be  so  near  the  one  he  loved,  and  to 
lie  where  he  could  dream  of  her  sweet  face  and  see 
the  outlines  of  the  house  that  sheltered  her,  while 
she  had  no  knowledge  of  his  presence.  Just  over 
there  was  the  arbor,  where  he  had  first  had  the 


1SS  A   BL1CK    A.BOSTS. 

supreme  bliss  of  touching  her  lips  with  his  own.  If 
he  could  get  her  to  come  there  with  him  again — to- 
night— when  the  others  were  occupied  with  their  talk 
of  earthly  things,  and  if  she  would  only  tell  him 
frankly  that  he  might  go  to  her  father,  and  that  her 
prayers  would  go  with  him !  A  soft  languor  came 
over  his  body  at  the  deliciousness  of  these  reflections, 
but  it  was  dissipated  by  the  sound  of  voices  which 
presently  came  to  him  from  the  other  side  of  the 
hedge. 

"  I  can't  exactly  understand,  Miss  Daisy,"  said  one 
of  the  voices,  which  he  had  no  difficulty  in  recogniz- 
ing as  that  of  Hannibal,  "  why  you  wish  me  to  go 
away  ?" 

There  was  an  assurance  in  the  tone  that  Roseleaf 
did  not  like.  He  had  noticed  it  before  in  the  inter- 
course of  this  negro  with  his  employers.  There  was 
something  which  intimated  that  he  was  on  the  most 
complete  level  with  them. 

"  I  want  you  to  go,"  said  Daisy,  in  her  quiet  way, 
"because  education  is  the  only  thing  that  will  make 
you  what  you  ought  to  be.  There  are  a  hundred 
chances  open  to  you,  in  the  professions,  if  you  can 
take  a  college  course.  Unless  you  do,  you  can  hope 
for  nothing  better  than  such  employment  as  you 
have  now." 

It  made  the  listener's  blood  boil  to  think  that  these 
people  should  be  consulting  in  that  way,  like  friends. 
Daisy  ought  to  have  a  better  sense  of  her  position. 

"I  will  not  refuse  your  offer,  at  least  not  yet," 
replied  Hannibal,  after  a  slight  pause.  "  It  may  bt 
at  you  say— if  I  graduate  as  a  doctor  or  a  lawyer. 


A  qrastzoir  OF  OOLOB.  169 

But  I  know  that  I  live  in  a  country  where  my  color 
is  despised — and  all  that  could  possibly  come  to  me 
here  as  a  professional  man  is  work  among  my  own 
race.  I  should  be  a  black  lawyer  with  black  clients  ; 
or  a  black  physician,  with  black  patients.  To  really 
succeed  I  should  go  across  the  ocean  to  some  land 
where  the  shade  of  my  skin  would  not  be  counted  a 
crime." 

Daisy's  face  could  not  be  seen  by  the  listener,  but 
he  was  sure  it  was  a  kindly  one,  and  this  made  him 
fume.  The  situation  was  atrocious. 

44  It  should  not  be  considered  so  anywhere,"  said 
the  girl,  gently. 

"  It  is  an  outrage  !"  responded  the  black.  "  Hav- 
ing stolen  our  ancestors  and  brought  them  here  from 
their  native  country,  the  Americans  hate  us  for  the 
injury  they  have  done.  In  France,  they  tell  me,  it  is 
not  so.  Oh,  if  I  could  gain  an  education,  and 
become  what  God  meant  to  make  me — a  man  !"  He 
paused  as  if  the  thought  was  too  great  to  be  con- 
ceived in  its  fullness,  and  then  said,  abruptly  : 
"  Where  can  you  get  this  money  ?" 

Roseleaf's  suspicions  were  now  keenly  aroused  and 
he  dreaded  lest  she  should  bring  his  name  into  the 
conversation. 

"  Your  father  would  not  give  it  to  you — without  an 
explanation,"  pursued  the  negro.  "And  you  have 
no  fortune  of  your  own." 

"I  will  get  it — let  that  suffice,"  interrupted  the 
girl.  "  I  can  give  you  $1000  a  year  for  two  years,  at 
least,  and  I  hope  for  two  or  three  more,  if  you  will  go 
to  Paris  and  put  yourself  under  instruction.  Can 


160  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

you  hesitate  to  accept  a  proposal  of  that  kind  ?  I 
thought  you  would  seize  it  with  avidity." 

As  Daisy  said  this  she  arose,  and  started  slowly 
toward  the  house.  Hannibal  walked  by  her  side 
talking  in  a  tone  so  low  that  nothing  more  was  intel- 
ligible to  the  eavesdropper  she  little  suspected  was 
so  near.  But  suddenly  the  girl  stopped,  and  Rose- 
leaf  heard  her  cry  with  startling  distinctness  : 

"How  dare  you  .'" 

The  voice  that  uttered  these  words  was  filled  with 
rage,  and  the  girl's  attitude,  as  Roseleaf  could  see — 
for  he  had  risen  hastily  to  his  feet — was  one  of 
intense  excitement.  Then-  she  added  : 

"  If  you  ever  speak  of  that  again,  they  will  be  tl*e 
last  words  I  will  e-  3r  exchange  with  you.  My  offer 
is  still  open — yoa  ran  have  the  money  if  you  wish  it — 
but  never  another  syllable  like  this  !  Understand 
me,  Hannibal,  never  !" 

Miss  Daisy  passed  on  toward  the  house,  alone. 
The  negro  stood  where  she  had  left  him,  his  head 
bowed  on  his  breast,  as  if  completely  cowed  by  the 
rebuke.  Roseleaf's  heart  beat  rapidly.  What  gave 
this  fellow  such  power  over  these  people  ?  How 
could  he  say  things  to  call  out  such  an  exclamation 
as  that  of  Daisy's,  and  yet  hold  her  promise  to  pay 
him  a  large  sum  of  money,  instead  of  getting  the 
prompt  discharge  he  merited  ? 

And  this  was  what  the  girl  wanted  to  do  with  the 
$1,000,  she  had  asked  him  to  lend  her  !  Should  he 
still  give  it  to  her?  Yes,  if  it  would  rid  the  country 
of  that  insolent  knave  who,  from  whatever  cause, 


A  QUESTION   OF   COLOR.  161 

occupied  a  position  that  must  be  growing  unendur- 
able to  those  who  had  to  bear  with  him. 

What  had  Hannibal  said,  that  made  her  turn  as  if 
grossly  insulted,  and  speak  with  a  vehemence  so 
foreign  to  her  nature  ?  Roseleaf  would  have  enjoyed 
following  the  negro  and  giving  him  a  severe  trounc- 
ing. Though  Hannibal  was  twenty  pounds  heavier 
and  considerably  taller  than  he,  the  novelist  had  not 
the  least  doubt  of  his  ability  to  master  him.  He 
believed  the  courage  of  an  African  would  give  way 
when  confronted  by  one  of  the  superior  race  ;  and 
at  any  rate,  righteous  indignation  would  count  for 
something  in  so  just  a  contest. 

There  were  no  traces  of  excitement  on  Daisy's 
pretty  face  as  she  welcomed  the  guests  of  the  family. 
Weil  arrived  at  about  the  same  time  as  Roseleaf, 
coming  directly  from  the  station,  and  Mr.  Fern  ar- 
rived a  little  later.  Millicent  looked  her  best,  which 
is  saying  no  less  than  that  she  was  a  beauty,  and 
Archie  told  her  politely  that  she  ought  to  sit  for  a 
painting.  When  the  dinner  was  served,  Hannibal 
took  charge  as  usual.  Shirley  watched  him  with  an 
interest  he  had  never  felt  before,  and  nodded  assent 
when  Weil  whispered  behind  his  napkin,  "  Good 
material  for  a  novel  in  that  fellow,  eh  ?" 

The  opportunity  for  a  word  alone  with  Daisy  came 
earlier  than  Roseleaf  expected.  In  fact  she  herself 
proposed  it,  while  passing  out  of  the  dining  room. 
She  said  she  had  something  particular  to  tell  him. 

"  It  is  about  that  money  you  were  so  kind  as  to 
say  I  could  have,"  she  explained,  when  they  were  far 
down  the  lawn,  and  out  of  hearing  of  the  others. 


182  A.    BLACK    ADOPTS. 

"  I  want  it  very  much  and  very  soon.  It-— it  will  be 
all  right,  I  hope,  and — and  not  cause  you  any  incon- 
venience." 

"I  will  bring  it,  or  send  it  to-morrow,"  he  replied, 
instantly.  "  But  I  still  wonder  what  you  intend  to 
do  with  it." 

She  smiled  archly. 

"  A  good  act,  I  assure  you,"  she  replied.  "  Some- 
thing of  which  you  would  certainly  approve,  if  you 
knew  all  the  circumstances.  You  are  very  kind,  and 
if  it  was  darker  here  I  should  be — almost — tempted 
to  kiss  you." 

He  replied  that  it  was  growing  darker  rapidly,  and 
that  the  requisite  shadow  could  be  obtained  if  they 
stayed  out  long  enough  ;  but  she  said  she  could  re- 
main but  a  few  moments,  and  turned  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  house. 

"  But,  Daisy  !"  he  cried,  and  then  paused.  "You 
— you  know  there  is  something  of  very  great  import- 
ance that  I  want  to  talk  about.  I  get  so  little  chance, 
and  I  want  so  much  to  tell  you  things.  I  have  been 
trying  to  go  to  your  father's  office,  and  I  can't  find 
courage." 

"  I  didn't  know  you  were  thinking  of  buying 
wool,"  she  said,  mischievously. 

"  I  want  one  little  lamb,  to  be  my  own,"  he 
answered,  "  to  love  and  cherish  all  my  life  long,, 
Am  I  never  to  have  it  ?" 

She  sobered  before  the  earnestness  of  his  sad  face. 

"  You  are  a  dear  boy,"  she  said,  "  and  I  love  you. 
There  t  Don't  say  anything  more  to  me  to-night 
I  have  made  a  foolish  confession,  for  which  1  may 


A   QUESTION   OF   OOLOB.  163 

yet  repent.  We  must  go  ia  They  will  be  looking 
for  us." 

She  looked  at  his  countenance  and  saw  that  it  was 
radiant. 

"I  can  endure  anything  now,"  he  said.  "  You 
love  me,  Daisy — can  it  be  true  ?  I  will  go  in  with 
you — and  I  will  wait.  But  not  too  long,  my  sweet- 
heart ;  do  not  make  me  wait  too  long.  Repent  your 
confession,  indeed  !  If  you  do,  it  will  be  from  no 
fault  of  mine.  Daisy  f" 

As  he  said  these  things  they  were  gradually  nearing 
the  piazza,  where  the  negro  was  taking  in  the  chairs. 

"  I  have  something  pleasant  to  tell  you,"  whispered 
Daisy.  "  You  don't  like  Hannibal.  Well,  he  is 
going  away  soon." 

Roseleaf  assumed  surprise. 

"  Has  your  father  discharged  him  ?"  he  asked. 

"  No,  he  intends  to  leave  of  his  own  accord.  He 
believes  himself  fitted  for  better  work.  Hush  !  He 
may  hear  you." 

As  they  passed  the  servant,  Daisy  said,  "  Good- 
evening,  Hannibal."  It  was  her  invariable  custom, 
and  she  spoke  with  the  greatest  courtesy.  But  in 
this  case  the  negro  did  not  raise  his  eyes,  nor  turn 
his  head  toward  her,  nor  make  the  slightest  sign  to 
show  that  he  heard. 

It  was  too  much  for  Roseleaf,  and  he  stopped. 

"  Did  you  hear  Miss  Daisy  address  you  ?"  he  de- 
manded, sharply. 

Hannibal  looked  up,  with  a  curious  mixture  of 
amusement,  contempt  and  hate  in  his  dark  fact. 

*  I  did,"  ht  answered. 


164:  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

"  Why  did  you  not  answer  ?" 

"Because  I  did  not  choose." 

Daisy  threw  herself  in  front  of  Roseleaf,  just  in 
time  to  prevent  Hannibal's  receiving  a  blow. 

"  Oh,  stop  !"  she  exclaimed,  "  I  beg  you  I" 

The  noise  and  the  sound  of  raised  voices  brought 
Mr.  Fern  and  his  other  daughter,  with  Archie  Weil, 
to  the  door.  Mr.  Fern  took  in  the  situation  at  a 
glance,  and  his  troubled  face  grew  more  distressed. 

"Mr.  Roseleaf,"  he  said,  speaking  as  if  the  words 
choked  him,  "  I  am  surprised — that  you  should — 
hold  an  altercation  like  this — in  my  daughter's 
presence." 

Roseleaf  did  not  know  what  to  do  or  say.  Daisy's 
pleading  eyes  decided  him,  much  against  his  judg- 
ment, to  drop  the  matter  where  it  was,  galling  to  his 
pride  though  it  might  be.  He  escorted  his  sweet- 
heart into  the  parlor,  where  the  entire  party  followed, 
in  a  most  uncomfortable  state  of  mind. 

"  How  can  you  permit  that  negro  to  insult  your 
guests  ?"  demanded  Millicent,  as  soon  as  the  door 
was  closed.  "  It  is  beyond  belief.  If  he  is  master  of 
this  house  it  is  time  the  rest  of  us  left  it.  I  am  cer- 
tain Mr.  Roseleaf  did  not  act  without  great  provoca- 
tion." 

Before  Mr.  Fern  could  answer,  Daisy  had  spoken. 

"It  is  over  now,  and  there  is  nothing  to  be  said. 
Hannibal  is  going  away  in  a  few  days,  and  that  will 
end  your  trouble." 

The  father  turned  such  an  incredulous  look  toward 
his  daughter  that  it  was  evident  he  had  heard  nothing 
of  this. 


A   QUESTION    OF    OOLOK.  165 

"  Going  ?"  he  echoed,  faintly.     "  Going  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Daisy.  "  He  told  me  to-day.  He  is 
going  to  some  country  where  his  color  will  not  be 
counted  a  misdemeanor." 

Roseleaf  had  difficulty  in  maintaining  the  silence 
with  which  he  had  determined  to  encase  himself. 
But  Daisy  did  not  wish  him  to  speak,  and  her  will 
was  law. 

*'  Well,  1  am  glad  of  that  !"  exclaimed  Millicent. 
"  In  a  country  where  they  consider  such  people  their 
equals,  he  will  not  meet  the  pity  and  consideration 
he  has  so  abused  here.  Still,  I  do  think,  father, 
that  you  ought  to  apologize  to  Mr.  Roseleaf  for  the 
way  in  which  you  have  addressed  him." 

This  freed  the  young  man's  tongue. 

"  By  no  means,"  he  said.  "  Very  likely  I  was 
wrong  to  say  anything." 

"  You  were  not  wrong  !"  retorted  Millicent.  •'  You 
were  entirely  right.  You  would  have  been  justified 
in  punishing  the  fellow  as  he  deserved.  It  is  others 
who  are  wrong.  If  he  were  not  going,  I  would 
never  stay  to  see  repealed  what  I  have  witnessed  in 
the  last  six  months." 

Mr.  Fern  seemed  to  have  lost  all  ambition  for  con- 
troversy. His  elder  daughter's  cutting  words  evi- 
dently hurt,  but  he  would  not  reply. 

Mr.  Weil  came  to  the  rescue  by  introducing  A  new 
topic  of  conversation,  that  of  a  European  tenor  that 
was  soon  expected  to  startle  New  York.  Daisy  went 
to  the  piano,  and  played  softly,  talking  in  whispers 
to  Roseleaf,  who  leaned  feverishly  over  her  shoulder. 


166  A  BLAOK  ADoans. 

But  she  made  no  allusion  to  Hannibal,  and  he  did 
his  best  to  forget  him. 

"  What  do  you  make  of  that  ?"  asked  Mr.  Weil, 
when  he  was  in  a  railway  car,  on  the  way  back  to  the 
city  with  his  young  friend.  "A  glorious  chance  for 
a  novelist  to  find  the  reason  that  black  Adonis  is 
allowed  such  latitude." 

But  Roseleaf  was  not  listening.  He  was  thinking 
of  a  sweet  voice  that  had  said  :  "  You  are  a  dear 
boy  and  I  love  you  !" 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
"LET  us  HAVE  A  BETRAYAL." 

Mr.  Archie  Weil  had  become  quite  intimate  with 
Mr.  Wilton  Fern  ;  so  much  so  that  he  called  at  his 
office  every  few  days,  took  walks  with  him  on  busi- 
ness errands,  went  with  him  to  lunch  (to  the  annoy- 
ance of  Lawrence  Gouger,  who  did  not  like  to  eat 
alone)  and  sometimes  took  the  train  home  with  him 
at  night,  on  evenings  when  Shirley  Roseleaf  was  not 
of  the  party.  Everybody  in  the  Fern  family  liked 
Archie.  Even  Hannibal,  who  had  conceived  a  veri- 
table hatred  for  Roseleaf,  brightened  at  the  en- 
trance of  Mr.  Weil  either  at  the  house  or  office,  the 
negro  seeming  to  alternate  between  the  two  places 
very  much  as  he  pleased.  Millicent  liked  him  because 
he  was  so  "  facile/'  as  she  expressed  it ;  a  man  with 


whom  one  could  talk  without  feeling  it  necessary 
to  pick  each  step.  Daisy  liked  him  because  her 
father  did,  and  because  Roseleaf  did,  and  because 
he  treated  her  witli  marked  politeness  that  had 
apparently  no  double  meaning. 

And  they  all  got  confidential  with  him,  which  was 
exactly  what  lie  wanted  them  to  do  ;  only  the  one  he 
most  wanted  to  give  him  confidence  gave  aim  the 
least.  This  was  Mr.  Fern,  himself. 

Try  as  he  might,  Archie  could  not  discover  what 
clouded  the  brow  of  the  wool  merchant,  what  made 
him  act  like  a  person  who  fears  each  knock  at  the 
door,  each  sound  of  a  human  voice  in  the  hallway  of 
his  office.  He  could  find  no  reason  for  Mr.  Fern's 
attitude  toward  Hannibal,  whose  manners  were  as  fai 
removed  as  possible  from  those  supposed  to  belong 
to  a  personal  servant.  There  must  be  a  cause  of  no 
ordinary  character  when  this  polished  gentleman 
permitted  a  negro  to  insult  him  and  his  daughter,  in 
a  way  to  excite  comment.  What  it  was  Mr.  Weil 
was  bent  on  discovering,  but  as  yet  he  had  made 
little  progress. 

It  was  on  account  of  this  plan  that  Mr.  Weil 
affected  to  like  Hannibal  so  well.  He  used  to  spend 
hours  in  devising  ways  for  securing  the  truth  from 
that  source.  Hannibal,  however,  gave  no  signs  of 
intending  to  reveal  his  secret,  and  if  he  was  going 
abroad  to  study,  it  seemed  unlikely  that  the  investi- 
gator would  get  at  many  facts  in  that  quarter. 

One  day,  Mr.  Weil  happened  to  call  at  the  office  of 
th«  merchant  at  an  hour  when  the  latter  was  out, 
and  found  Hannibal  in  possession.  As  this  was  an 


168  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

opportunity  seldom  available,  Archie  entered  into 
a  lively  conversation  with  the  fellow. 

"They  tell  me  you  are  soon  going  to  leave  us,  he 
said,  as  a  beginning.  "  I  hear  that  you  are  going  to 
Europe." 

"  Yes,"  said  Hannibal,  with  a  certain  wariness. 

"  If  I  can  tell  you  anything  about  the  country  I 
shall  be  glad,"  said  Weil,  affably.  "I  have  spent 
considerable  time  there.  You  don't  understand  the 
language,  I  believe  ?" 

The  negro  simply  shook  his  head. 

"  It's  easy  enough  to  acquire.  Get  right  into  a 
hotel  with  a  lot  of  students,  and  pitch  in.  Though 
they  do  say,"  added  the  speaker,  archly,  "  that  the 
best  method  is  to  engage  a  pretty  grisette.  The 
poet  was  right  : 

"•  'Tis  pleasing  to  be  schooled  in  a  strange  tongue 
By  female  eyes  and  lips  ;  that  is,  I  mean, 
When  both  the  teacher  and  the  taught  are  young  — 

"  You  know  the  rest." 

The  answering  smile  that  he  expected,  did  not 
come  into  the  negro's  face.  If  possible,  it  grew  still 
more  reserved  and  earnest. 

"  There's  one  good  thing,  if  you'll  excuse  my 
mentioning  it,"  pursued  Archie,  "  and  that  is, 
the  French  have  no  prejudice  whatever  against  color. 
Indeed,  a  colored  student  gets  a  little  better  atten- 
tion in  Paris  than  a  white  one." 

Then  the  silent  lips  were  unlocked. 

"Could  a  black  man — marry — a  white  woman,  of 


WUJT  U8  HAVE  A  BETRAYAL.''  169 

the    upper   or    middle  classes  ?"    asked  Hannibal, 

slowly. 

"  To  be  sure.  There  was  the  elder  Dumas,  and  a 
dozen  others.  I  tell  you  there's  absolutely  no  color 
line  there.  They  judge  a  man  by  what  he  is,  not  by 
the  accident  of  race  or  skin.  You'll  see  such  a  dif- 
ference you'll  be  sorry  you  didn't  go  years  before." 

Hannibal  sat  as  if  lost  in  thought. 

"  Mr.  Fern  will  miss  you,  though,"  continued 
Archie.  "Yes,  and  the  family.  You  seem  almost 
indispensable." 

A  suspicious  glance  was  shot  at  the  speaker,  but 
his  face  bore  such  an  ingenuous  look  that  the  sug- 
gestion was  dismissed.  What  could  he  know  ? 

"They  will  get  some  one  else,"  said  the  negro, 
quietly. 

"Yes,  but  in  these  days  it  is  not  easy  to  get  peo- 
ple one  can  trust.  Mr.  Fern  will  not  find  any  one  to 
take  your  place  in  a  moment.  And  just  now,  when 
he  evidently  has  a  great  deal  of  trouble  on  his  mind, 
it  will  be  unpleasant  to  make  a  change." 

Hannibal  was  completely  deceived  by  the  appar- 
ently honest  character  of  these  observations.  He 
could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  boast  a  little,  that 
peculiar  trait  of  a  menial. 

"  I  know  all  about  Mr.  Fern's  affairs,"  he  agreed. 
"  Both  here  and  at  the  house.  He  would  not  trust 
the  next  man  as  he  has  me." 

Mr.  Weil  nodded  wisely. 

"I  see,  I  see,"  he  answered.  "You  know  then 
what  has  annoyed  him  of  late — that  which  has 
puzzled  all  the  rest  of  us  so  much.  You  know,  but 


170  A   BLACK   ADONli. 

having  the  knowledge  in  a  sort  of  confidential  ca- 
pacity, you  would,  of  course,  have  no  right  to  reveal 
it." 

Hannibal  straightened  himself  up  in  an  exasperat- 
ing way. 

"You  will  not  find  what  troubles  Mr.  Fern,"  he 
said,  loftily.  "And  now,  may  I  ask  you  something. 
Do  you  expect  to  marry  his  eldest  daughter  ?" 

An  inclination  to  kick  the  fellow  for  his  impudence 
came  so  strong  upon  Mr.  Weil  that  it  required  all  of 
his  powers  to  suppress  the  sentiment.  But  through 
his  indignation  there  struggled  his  old  admiration 
for  this  elegant  physical  specimen.  He  wished  he 
could  get  a  statue  modeled  from  him,  before  the 
original  left  the  country. 

"  That  is  a  delicate  question,"  he  managed  to  say. 

"  I  know  it,"  replied  Hannibal.  "  But  I  have  ob- 
served some  things  which  may  have  escaped  you. 
Shall  I  tell  you  what  I  mean  ?" 

Not  at  all  easy  under  this  strain,  the  curiosity  of 
Mr.  Weil  was  so  great  that  he  could  only  reply  in 
the  affirmative. 

"Miss  Millicent,"  explained  Hannibal,  slowly,  "  is 
in  love— very  much  in  love — with  another  person." 

A  stare  that  could  not  be  concealed  answered 
him. 

"  You  have  not  seen  anything  to  indicate  it  ?" 
asked  the  negro.  "  I  thought  as  much.  She  has 
done  her  best  to  cover  it,  and  yet  I  can  swear  it  is 
true.  She  likes  you,  as  a  friend.  But  she  loves  him, 
pattionately." 


"  LET    US    HATE   A   BJKTKATAJL."  111 

He  was  in  for  it  now  and  might  as  well  follow  thi^ 
strange  matter  to  the  end. 

"Do  I  know  this  individual  ?"  asked  Archie. 

"  Yes.  You  brought  him  to  the  house  and  intro- 
duced him  to  her." 

The  man  gave  a  slight  cry,  in  spite  of  him- 
self. 

"  Not  Roseleaf  !" 

Hannibal  bowed  impressively  ;  and  at  the  mo- 
ment Mr.  Fern's  footsteps  were  heard  in  the  entry. 

Mr.  Weil  did  not  know,  when  he  tried  to  think 
about  it  afterwards,  whether  the  wool  merchant 
noticed  particularly  that  he  and  Hannibal  had  been 
talking  together,  or  suspected  that  they  might  have 
confidences.  His  head  was  too  full  of  the  startling 
statement  he  had  heard,  and  when  he  was  again 
upon  the  street  he  wandered  aimlessly  for  an  hour 
trying  to  reconcile  this  view  with  the  facts  as  they 
had  presented  themselves  to  his  mind  previously. 

Millicent  in  love  with  Roseleaf  I  She  had  said 
very  little  to  the  young  man,  so  far  as  he  had  ob- 
served. Her  younger  sister — sweet  little  Daisy- 
had  monopolized  his  attention.  If  it  were  true, 
what  an  instance  it  was  of  the  odd  qualities  in  the 
feminine  mind,  that  leave  men  to  wonder  more  and 
more  of  what  material  it  is  constructed.  But  was  it 
true  ?  Was  Hannibal  a  better  judge,  a  closer  stu- 
dent, than  the  rest  of  them  ?  He  did  not  like  Milli- 
cent, any  better  than  she  Hked  him.  Was  he  trying 
a  game  of  mischief,  with  some  ulterior  purpose  that 
was  not  apparent  on  the  surface  ? 

Out  of  it  all,  Archie  Weil  emerged,  sure  of  but  on« 


172  JL  BLACK   ADONIS. 

thing.  He  must  use  his  eyes.  If  Millicent  loved 
Roseleaf,  she  could  not  hide  it  successfully  from 
him,  now  that  he  had  this  clue. 

The  girl's  novel  was  selling  fairly  well.  Weil  had 
made  a  bargain  with  Cutt  &  Slashem  that  was  very 
favorable.  It  gave  him  an  excuse  to  talk  with  the 
authoress  as  much  as  he  pleased,  and  he  used  his 
advantage.  He  brought  her  the  comments  of  the 
press — not  that  they  amounted  to  anything,  for  it 
was  evident  that  most  of  the  critics  had  merely 
skimmed  through  the  pages.  He  came  to  tell  her 
the  latest  things  that  Gouger  had  said,  what  propor- 
tion of  cloth  and  paper  covers  were  being  ordered, 
and  the  other  gossip  of  the  printing  house.  And 
now  he  talked  about  the  work  that  Shirley  was  en- 
gaged on,  and  grew  enthusiastic,  declaring  that  the 
young  man  would  yet  make  a  place  for  himself  be- 
side the  Stevensons  and  Weymans. 

Millicent  struck  him  as  caring  much  more  for 
news  of  her  own  production  than  that  of  the  young 
man  who  had  been  represented  as  the  object  of  her 
adoration.  If  she  was  half  as  fond  of  Roseleaf  as 
Hannibal  intimated,  she  was  certainly  successful  in 
concealing  her  sentiments  from  the  shrewd  observer. 
The  result  of  a  fortnight's  investigation  convinced 
Weil  that  the  negro  had  made  a  complete  mistake, 
and  all  the  hypotheses  that  had  arisen  were  al- 
lowed to  dissipate  into  thin  air  and  fly  away. 

Another  two  weeks  passed  and  Hannibal  still  re- 
mained with  the  Ferns.  An  inquiry  of  Daisy  pro- 
duced the  answer  that  he  thought  of  remaining  in 
America  till  spring.  The  girl  tried  to  act  as  if  it 


173 

made  not  the  slightest  consequence  to  her  whether 
he  went  or  stayed,  but  she  did  not  succeed.  Mr. 
Weil  knew  that  she  wished  most  heartily  for  the 
time  when  the  negro  would  take  his  departure.  She 
was  bound  up  in  her  father,  and  Hannibal  was  worry- 
ing him  to  death — from  whatever  cause.  She 
wanted  the  tie  between  him  and  this  black  man 
broken,  and  hated  every  day  that  stood  between 
them  and  his  hour  of  sailing. 

Roseleaf  was  almost  as  uneasy  as  Daisy  over  the 
delay.  He  had  given  her  the  money  she  asked  for, 
though  no  allusion  to  its  purpose  had  been  made. 

She  still  had  it,  somewhere,  unless  she  had  given 
it  to  the  one  for  whom  it  was  intended.  When  she 
took  the  package  from  his  hand  she  rose  on  her  tip- 
toes and  kissed  him  with  the  most  affectionate  of 
gestures.  It  was  the  second  occasion  on  which  he 
had  been  permitted  to  touch  her  lips,  and  he 
appreciated  it  fully.  He  realized  from  her  action 
how  deeply  she  felt  his  kindness  in  providing  her 
with  the  funds  that  were  to  relieve  her  father  of  an 
incubus  that  was  sapping  his  very  life. 

"  You  don't  find  much  use  for  our  black  Adonis 
yet,  I  see,"  said  Weil,  as  he  laid  down  the  latest 
page  of  the  slowly  building  novel.  "  I  had  hoped 
you  would  penetrate  the  secret  of  his  power  over 
your  heroine's  father,  by  this  time." 

"  No,  I  cannot  understand  it  at  all,"  replied 
Roseleaf.  "  And  if  you,  with  your  superior  quick- 
ness of  perception,  have  found  nothing,  I  don't  see 
how  you  could  expect  me  to." 

"  You  have  greater  opportunities,"  said  Weil,  with 


174  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

a  smile  that  was  not  quite  natural.  "  You  have  the 
ear  of  the  fair  Miss  Daisy,  remember,"  he  explained, 
in  reply  to  the  inquiring  look  that  was  raised  to 
him. 

"Ah,  but  she  knows  nothing,  either,"  exclaimed 
Roseleaf.  "  I  am  sure  of  that." 

Mr.  Weil  was  silent  for  some  moments. 

"  Well,  if  you  cannot  find  the  true  cause,"  he  said, 
"  you  will  have  to  invent  a  hypothetical  one.  Your 
novel  cannot  stand  still  forever.  Imagine  some- 
thing— a  crime,  for  instance,  of  which  this  black 
fellow  is  cognizant.  A  murder — that  he  peeped  in 
at  a  keyhole  and  saw.  How  would  that  do  ?" 

Roseleaf  turned  pale. 

**  You  know,"  he  said,  "  that  you  are  talking  of 
impossibilities." 

"On  the  contrary,  nothing  is  impossible,"  re- 
sponded the  other,  impatiently.  "  College  profes- 
sors, delicate  ladies,  children  not  yet  in  their  teens, 
have  committed  homicide,  why  not  this  handsome 
gentleman  in  the  wool  business  ?  Or  if  you  won't 
have  murder — and  I  agree  that  blood  is  rather  tire- 
some, it  has  been  overdone  so  much — bring  a  woman 
into  the  case.  Let  us  have  a  betrayal,  a  wronged 
virgin,  and  that  sort  of  thing." 

The  color  did  not  return  to  the  young  man's 
cheek. 

"Which  is  still  more  incredible  in  the  present 
case,"  he  said.  "  Do  you  think  Wilton  Fern  could 
do  evil  to  a  woman  ?  Look  in  his  face  once  and 
dismiss  tnat  libel  within  tne  secoadk"* 


•LET  us  HATE  A  BETRAYAL."  ITS 

A  desperate  expression  crossed  the  countenance  of 
the  elder  man. 

"You  must  agree  that  he  has  done  something  V* 
he  cried.  "  He  wouldn't  allow  a  darkey  to  annoy 
him  like  this  for  fun,  would  he  ?  He  wouldn't  wear 
that  deathly  look,  and  let  his  child  grow  thin  with 
worriment,  just  as  a  matter  of  amusement  !" 

To  this  Roseleaf  could  not  formulate  a  suitable 
answer.  He  felt  the  force  of  the  suggestions,  but 
he  would  not  associate  crime  with  the  sedate  gentle- 
man who  was  the  object  of  these  suspicions.  He 
simply  could  not  think  of  anything  disreputable  in 
connection  with  Daisy's  father,  and  it  seemed  almost 
as  bad  to  invent  an  offense  for  the  character  in  his 
novel  whose  photograph  he  had  thus  far  taken  from 
Mr.  Fern. 

Daisy  was  surprised,  a  month  after  this,  to  have 
Mr.  Weil  stop  her  in  the  hallway,  and  speak  with  a 
new  abruptness. 

"  Why  don't  that  cursed  nigger  start  for  Europe?" 
he  asked. 

She  glanced  around  her  with  a  frightened  look. 
She  feared  ears  that  should  not  might  hear  them. 
But  she  rallied  as  she  reflected  that  Hannibal  was 
miles  away,  in  fact  in  the  city  with  her  father. 

"He  is  going  soon,"  she  replied.  "But  why  do 
you  allude  to  him  by  that  harsh  term  ?  I  thought 
you  rather  liked  him." 

"I  do,"  he  answered.  "I  like  him  so  well  that  if 
he  continues  to  talk  to — to  vour  father — as  I  heard 
htm  the  onier  day.  I  will  throw  him  into  the  Hudson^ 


176  A  BLACK   ADOKIS. 

I  can't  stand  by  and  see  him  insult  an—an  old  man- 
much  longer." 

The  girl  looked  at  him  with  sad  eyes. 

"I  thought  I  had  succeeded  in  silencing  that  kind 
of  talk,"  she  said.  "  Mr.  Roseleaf  used  to  speak  very 
violently  of  Hannibal,  but  he  has  listened  to  reason 
of  late.  Let  me  beg  you  to  see  nothing  and  hear 
nothing,  if  you  are  the  friend  of  this  family  you  have 
given  us  reason  to  believe." 

She  extended  her  hand,  as  if  to  ask  a  promise  oj 
him,  but  he  affected  not  to  see  it. 

"When  does  he  intend  to  go  ?"  he  demanded. 

"  Before  the  ist  of  April." 

"  I  will  give  him  till  that  date,"  he  answered,  "  but 
not  an  hour  beyond.  He  will  sail  out  of  this  country 
for  some  port  or  other,  or  there  will  be  a  collision. 
You  must  not,  you  shall  not  defend  him  !"  he  added, 
as  she  was  about  to  speak.  "  I  know  the  harm  he  is 
doing,  and  it  must  have  an  end  !" 

Turning  from  her  suddenly  he  went  out  of  doors. 
Far  down  the  road  he  stopped  to  look  around,  press- 
ing his  hand  to  his  forehead,  like  one  who  would 
make  sure  he  is  awake,  and  not  the  victim  of  some 
fearful  dream. 


THE  OBEEN-STBD  MON8TKB.        177 

CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  GREEN-EYED   MONSTER. 

Before  the  first  of  April  came,  Hannibal  sailed. 
During  the  winter  he  had  taken  lessons  in  French  of 
a  city  teacher,  until  he  believed  he  could  get  along 
after  a  fashion  with  that  language.  He  announced 
to  Daisy  that  he  would  go  on  the  third  of  March, 
then  he  changed  it  to  the  tenth,  and  again  to  the 
seventeenth.  Each  time,  when  the  date  approached, 
he  seemed  to  have  a  weakening  of  purpose,  a  dread 
of  actually  plunging  into  the  tide  that  set  toward 
foreign  shores.  The  girl  had  interviews  with  him  on 
each  of  these  occasions,  at  which  what  passed  was 
known  only  to  themselves.  And  each  time,  when  she 
had  reached  her  own  room,  she  threw  herself  on  her 
bed  and  wept  bitterly. 

But,  at  last,  on  the  twenty-fourth,  he  went.  With 
his  overcoat  on  his  arm,  his  satchel  and  umbrella  in 
his  hands,  he  said  "  Good-by  "  to  the  little  party  that 
gathered  at  the  door.  He  had  been  treated  with 
great  consideration  in  that  home.  Perhaps  he  real- 
ized this  to  some  extent  as  he  was  about  to  turn  his 
back  upon  it.  Certain  it  is  that  he  could  not  hide 
the  choking  in  his  throat,  as  he  said  the  words  of 
farewell.  Archie  Weil,  who  stood  there  with  the  rest, 
thought  he  saw  a  strange  look  in  those  black  orbs  as 
they  dwelt  a  moment  on  the  younger  daughter  ;  but 
It  passed  so  quickly  he  could  not  be  sure. 


1T8  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

Mr.  Fern  was  there,  and  Roseleaf.  Millicent  had 
responded,  when  a  servant  went  to  inform  her  that 
Hannibal  was  going,  that  she  was  very  glad.  Did 
she  wish  to  go  down  ?  By  no  means.  She  hoped  she 
was  not  such  a  fool. 

Weil,  who  watched  everybody,  saw  an  unmistak- 
able relief  in  the  careworn  countenance  of  Mr.  Fern, 
when  the  tall  form  of  his  late  servant  disappeared  at 
the  gate. 

"  I  hope  you  will  do  well,"  had  been  the  last  words 
of  the  merchant,  and  Daisy  had  added,  "  So  do  we 
all,  I  am  sure."  Roseleaf  had  not  spoken.  He  had 
stood  a  little  apart  from  the  others,  his  mind  filled 
with  varying  emotions.  It  was  he  who  had  furnished 
the  money  to  carry  out  this  plan,  and  if  it  made  one 
hour  of  Daisy's  life  happier  he  would  be  content. 

Within  an  hour  it  was  evident  that  a  cloud  had 
been  lifted  from  the  entire  household.  Everybody 
felt  brighter  and  better.  Roseleaf  eyed  Mr.  Fern 
with  surprise,  and  had  half  a  mind  to  go  to  his  office 
the  next  day  and  tell  him  how  dearly  he  loved  his 
daughter.  It  was  the  first  time  anything  like  a 
smile  had  been  upon  that  face  since  he  had  known 
its  lineaments. 

Archie  Weil  devoted  his  attention,  as  usual,  to 
Millicent.  He  did  not  talk  to  her  about  Hannibal, 
knowing  how  distasteful  was  the  subject.  He  dis- 
cussed her  novel,  of  which  she  never  seemed  to  tire, 
and  asked  her  about  another,  which  she  had  begun 
to  map  out.  She  told  him  she  was  sure  she  could  do 
better  the  next  time,  and  spoke  of  the  assistance  Mr- 
Roseleaf  would  furnish  if  needed,  quite  as  if  that  was 


THE   GREEN-EYED   MONSTEB.  179 

a  matter  already  arranged  between  her  and  the 
young  novelist. 

Archie  wondered  if  Millicent  knew  the  extent  of 
the  attachment  that  had  grown  up  between  Shirley 
and  her  sister.  She  seemed  to  feel  sure  that  he 
would  be  at  hand  when  wanted.  Could  it  be  that 
she  believed  he  would  ultimately  become  her  broth- 
er-in-law ?  The  negro's  guess  had  almost  been 
blotted  out  of  his  mind.  There  had  been  absolutely 
nothing  in  his  observation  to  confirm  it. 

A  day  or  two  after  the  departure  of  Hannibal, 
Mr.  Fern  had  a  conversation  with  Daisy,  in  which 
he  dwelt  with  more  stress  than  she  could  account 
for  on  a  special  theme.  He  was  talking  of  Walter 
Boggs  and  Archie  Weil,  and  he  cautioned  her  earn- 
estly to  treat  both  gentlemen  with  the  greatest  con- 
sideration. The  girl  detected  something  strange  in 
his  voice,  and  she  stole  apprehensive  glances  at  him, 
hoping  to  read  the  cause  in  his  eyes. 

"  Why,  papa,  I  never  see  Mr.  Boggs,"  she  said. 
"  It  is  weeks  and  weeks  since  he  came  here.  As  for 
Mr.  Weil,  we  all  treat  him  nicely,  I  am  sure,  and  are 
glad  to  have  him  come." 

"Yes,"  he  admitted.  "You  use  him  quite  right, 
my  child.  I  am  not  complaining  ;  only,  if  you  could 
show  him  particular  attention,  something  more  than 
the  ordinary — "  He  paused,  trying  to  finish  what  he 
wished  to  say.  "There  may  be  a  time  when  he  will 
be  of  great  value  to  me — and — I  want  him  to  feel — 
you  observe  things  so  cleverly — do  you  think  Milli- 
cent cares  for  him  ?" 

Daisy  looked  up  astonished. 


180  A  BLACK  ADOWI8. 

«  Cares— for—Mr.  Weil  T 

Her  father  nodded. 

"  He  has  been  here  several  times  a  week  for  months, 
and  most  of  his  time  here  has  been  spent  with  her. 
I  thought — I  hoped  that  she  cared  for  him." 

He  thought  !  He  hoped  !  Daisy  had  never  had  such 
an  idea  in  her  head  until  that  moment.  She  had  a 
dim  idea  that  her  father  would  give  up  either  of  his 
daughters  with  great  regret,  although  she  could  not 
help  knowing  that  the  relations  between  him  and 
Millicent  were  not  as  cordial  as  those  between  him 
and  herself.  And  he  "  hoped  "  that  Millie  would 
marry,  and  that  she  would  marry  Mr.  Weil !  Her 
mind  dwelt  upon  this  strange  thought.  She  tried  to 
find  a  reason  for  it.  Was  there  any  stronger  incen- 
tive in  her  father's  mind  than  a  desire  to  see  Millie 
well  settled  in  life,  with  a  good  husband  ? 

Had  he  a  fear  that  the  time  might  soon  come 
when  he  could  not  provide  for  her  ? 

Or  was  there  a  worse  fear — the  kind  of  fear  that 
had  haunted  him  in  relation  to  Hannibal  ? 

Every  time  Mr.  Weil  came  to  the  house  after  that 
the  young  girl  watched  him  as  closely  as  he  had  ever 
watched  her.  He  did  not  exchange  a  word  with  her 
father  that  did  not  engage  her  attention.  And  the 
conclusion  she  came  to  was  that,  whatever  the 
object  of  Mr.  F«rn  in  this  matter,  Mr.  Weil  was 
honor  itself. 

Daisy  had  never  made  much  of  a  confidant  of 
Millicent,  and  the  latter  had  the  habit  of  keeping  her 
affairs  pretty  closely  to  herself.  It  was  no  easy  task, 
then,  that  the  young  sister  had  in  view  when  she 


THX  OBBEN-ETKD  MON8TES.         181 

came  to  a  decision  to  talk  with  Millie  about  Mr. 
Weil. 

Her  father  had  expressed  a  hope  that  Millie  and 
Weil  would  marry.  Mr.  Fern  had  some  strong 
reason  for  his  wish.  Whatever  it  was,  Daisy,  witli 
her  strong  filial  love,  wanted  it  gratified. 

"  Millie,  what  do  you  think  of  marriage  ?"  she 
asked,  one  day,  when  the  opportunity  presented 
itself. 

"  I  suppose  it's  the  manifest  destiny  of  a  woman," 
replied  her  sister,  quietly. 

Much  encouraged,  Daisy  proceeded  to  allude  to 
Mr.  Weil,  praising  him  in  the  highest  terms,  and 
saying  that  any  girl  might  be  proud  to  be  honored 
with  his  addresses.  Millie  answered  with  confirma- 
tory nods  of  the  head,  as  if  she  fully  agreed  with  all 
she  uttered.  But  when  her  sister  spoke,  the  words 
struck  Daisy  like  a  blow. 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  this,"  she  said,  in  a  voice  more 
tender  than  usual.  "  I  think  Mr.  Weil  would  have 
proposed  to  you  long  ago,  but  that  he  feared  the 
result." 

Daisy  gasped  for  breath. 

"  Millie  r"  she  cried.  "  Do  you  mean  that  Mr. 
Weil — that — why,  I  do  not  understand  !  He  has 
hardly  spoken  to  me,  while  he  has  spent  nearly  every 
minute  he  has  been  here,  with  you  !" 

"  Of  course  he  lias,"  responded  the  other.  "What 
could  be  more  like  a  case  of  true  love?  If  ever  a 
man  lost  his  head  over  a  woman  he  has  lost  his  over 
you,  Daisy,  And,  at  any  rate,  you  must  know  that 


18*  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

/  care  nothing  for  him.  You  certainly  could  see 
where  my  affections  were  engaged." 

Daisy  pressed  her  hand  dreamily  to  her  forehead. 
She  had  never  known  her  sister  to  show  the  least 
partiality  to  any  other  man. 

"  I  understand  you  less  than  ever,"  she  faltered. 

"  Are  you  so  blind  ?"  exclaimed  Millicent,  with 
superior  wisdom.  "  Did  you  think  Mr.  Roseleaf  had 
been  so  closely  engaged  all  this  time  in  my  literary 
work  without  learning  to  care  for  me  ?  I  presume 
you  will  think  I  ought  to  blush,  but  that  is  not  my 
way.  The  strangest  thing  is  that  I  should  have  to 
explain  what  I  thought  every  one  knew." 

Poor  little  Daisy  !  She  was  so  crushed  by  these 
statements  that  she  did  not  know  what  reply  to 
make,  which  way  to  turn  for  consolation. 

"  He  has  told  you  that  he  loves  you  ?"  she  man- 
aged to  articulate. 

"  He  has  shown  it,  at  least,"  was  the  answer.  <l  He 
had  not  been  here  a  week  before  he  tried  to  put  his 
arms  around  me.  I  had  to  let  him  hold  my  hand  to 
avoid  an  absolute  quarrel.  He  is  not  an  ordinary 
man,  Daisy,  and  does  not  act  like  others,  but  we 
understand  each  other.  He  is  waiting  for  some- 
thing better  in  his  business  prospects,  and  as  I  am 
so  busy  on  my  new  book  I  am  glad  to  be  left  to 
myself  for  the  present." 

It  was  the  old  story.  Daisy  could  not  doubt  her 
sister's  version  of  her  relations  with  Mr.  Roseleaf. 
When  he  called  the  next  time  there  was  a  red  spot 
in  both  her  cheeks.  He  told  her  with  happy  eyes 
that  he  had  at  last  secured  something  which  made  it 


THE    GREEN-EYED    MO.NSTBB.  186 

possible  to  speak  to  her  father.  He  had  been  offered 
a  position  on  the  Pacific  Quarterly,  at  a  good  salary, 
and  another  periodical  had  engaged  him  to  write  a 
series  of  articles. 

"  They  tell  me  I  hare  no  imagination,"  he  ex- 
plained, "  but  that  I  do  very  good  work  on  anything 
that  contains  matters  of  fact.  I  have  some  money 
of  my  own,  but  I  did  not  want  to  tell  your  father  I 
was  an  idle  fellow,  without  brains  enough  to  make 
myself  useful  in  the  world.  The  novel  on  which  I 
base  such  great  hopes  might  not  seem  to  him  worth 
considering  seriously,  you  know.  So  I  can  go  with  a 
better  account  of  myself,  and  I  am  going  this  very 
week." 

The  bright  light  that  shone  from  the  face  at  which 
she  looked  made  her  waver  for  a  moment,  but  she 
found  strength  to  answer  that  he  must  not  speak  to 
Mr.  Fern  about  her — now,  or  at  any  other  time.  She 
did  not  want  to  marry,  or  to  be  engaged.  She 
wanted  to  live  with  her  father,  and  take  care  of  him, 
and  she  wanted  nothing  else. 

"Millie  will  marry,"  she  added,  as  a  parting 
thrust,  meant  to  be  very  direct  and  bitter.  "  One  of 
us  ought  to  stay  with  papa." 

For  a  while  he  was  too  overwhelmed  by  her 
changed  attitude  to  make  a  sensible  reply.  When 
it  dawned  on  him  that  she  meant  what  she  said,  he 
appealed  to  her  to  take  it  back.  He  could  not  bear 
the  thought  of  giving  her  up,  or  even  of  waiting 
much  longer  for  the  fulfillment  of  his  hopes.  He 
spoke  in  the  most  passionate  tone,  and  his  whole  be- 
ing seemed  wrought  up  by  his  earnestness.  The 


184  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

girl  was  constantly  thinking,  however,  that  this  was 
the  same  way  he  had  addressed  Millicent,  and  that 
there  was  no  trust  to  be  placed  in  him. 

"  Calm  yourself,"  she  said,  when  he  grew  violent. 
"  I  have  tried  to  be  honest  with  you.  I  have  thought 
of  this  matter  a  great  deal.  You  will  admit  that  it 
is  of  some  importance  to  me." 

"  To  you  !"  he  echoed.  "  Yes,  and  to  me  !  I  do 
not  care  whether  I  live  or  die,  if  I  am  to  lose  you!" 

She  wanted  to  ask  him  if  he  had  told  Millie  the 
same  thing,  but  she  could  not  without  making  an  ex- 
planation she  did  not  like  to  give. 

"  There  are  others,"  was  all  she  said.  "Others, 
who  will  make  you  happier,  and  be  better  fitted  for 
you — in  your  career  as  a  writer." 

He  never  thought  her  allusion  had  reference  to 
any  particular  person,  and  he  answered  that  there 
was  no  one,  there  never  could  be  any  one,  for  him, 
but  her.  He  had  never  loved  before,  he  never  should 
love  again.  And  she  listened,  thinking  what  a  ca- 
pacity for  falsehood  and  tragic  acting  he  had  de- 
veloped. 

After  two  hours  of  this  most  disagreeable  scene, 
Roseleaf  left  the  house,  moody  and  despondent.  It 
would  have  taken  little  at  that  moment  to  make 
him  throw  himself  into  the  bosom  of  the  Hudson,  or 
send  a  bullet  through  his  brain. 

On  the  way  to  the  station  he  met  Mr.  Weil,  who 
could  not  help  asking  what  was  the  matter. 

"Oh,  it's  all  up  !"  he  answered.  a  She;  has  refused 
me,  and  I  am  going  to  the  devil  as  quick  as  I  can." 


THE  GREEN-EYED  MONSTEK,  185 

"  What  are  you  talking  about  ?"  exclaimed  the 
Other,  staring  at  him.  "  You  don't  mean — Daisy  !" 

"That's  just  what  I  mean.  I  went  there  to  tell 
her  of  my  good  luck,  and  to  say  I  was  going  to  ask 
her  father's  consent ;  and  she  met  me  as  cold  as  an 
iceberg,  and  said  she  had  decided  not  to  marry.  So 
I'm  going  back  to  town  without  a  single  reason  left 
for  living." 

Mr.  Weil  stood  silent  and  nonplussed  for  a  few 
seconds.  Then  a  bright  idea  came  into  his  head. 

"Look  here,  Mr.  Impetuousness,"  said  he.  "I 
know  this  can  be  arranged,  and  I'm  going  to  see 
that  it's  done.  My  God,  the  same  thing  happens 
in  half  the  love  affairs  the  universe  over  !  Give  me 
a  few  days  to  straighten  it  out.  Co  home  and  go 
to  work,  and  I'll  fix  this,  I  promise  you." 

It  took  some  time  to  persuade  Roseleaf  to  follow 
this  advice,  but  he  yielded  at  last.  Weil  pleaded 
his  warm  friendship,  begged  the  young  man  to  do 
what  he  asked  if  only  to  please  him,  and  finally  suc- 
ceeded. A  few  minutes  later  Archie  had  secured  an 
audience  with  Daisy. 

Too  shrewd  to  risk  the  danger  of  plunging  directly 
into  the  subject  lie  had  in  mind,  Mr.  Weil  talked  on 
almost  everything  else.  It  happened  that  Millicent 
was  away,  which  enabled  him  to  devote  his  attention 
to  the  younger  sister  without  appearing  unduly  to 
seek  her.  But  Daisy,  only  half  listening  to  what  he 
said,  was  pondering  the  strange  revelation  her  sister 
had  made,  and  thinking  at  each  moment  that  a  dec- 
laration of  love  might  be  forthcoming. 

She  remembered  her  father's  injunction  to  treat 


186  A  m,A01E   ADOWIS. 

this  man  with  particular  courtesy,  and  was  in  a 
quandary  what  to  do  in  case  he  came  to  the  crucial 
point.  But  to  her  surprise,  instead  of  pressing  his 
own  suit,  Mr.  Weil  began  to  support  in  a  mild  man- 
ner the  cause  of  Mr.  Roseleaf. 

"  I  met  Shirley  leaving  here,"  he  said,  in  a  sober 
tone,  "  and  he  was  in  a  dreadful  state.  You  didn't 
say  anything  cross  to  him,  I  hope." 

With  these  words  there  seemed  to  come  to  Daisy 
a  new  revelation  of  the  true  character  of  this  man. 
Loving  her  himself,  he  was  yet  loyal  to  his  friend, 
who  he  believed  had  a  prior  claim.  As  this  thought 
took  root  it  raised  and  glorified  its  object,  until 
admiration  became  paramount  to  all  other  feelings. 

"  Why  should  I  be  cross  to  him  ?"  she  asked, 
evading  the  point.  "  There  are  no  relations  be- 
tween us  that  would  justify  me  in  acting  as  his 
monitor  or  mentor." 

Mr.  Weil  shook  his  head. 

"  He  loves  you,"  he  said.  "  You  cannot  afford, 
my  child,  to  trifle  with  a  heart  as  noble  as  his." 

The  expression,  "my  child,"  touched  the  girl 
deeply.  It  had  a  protective  sound,  mingled  with  a 
tinge  of  personal  affection. 

"I  hope  you  do  not  think  I  would  trifle  with  the 
feelings  of  any  person,"  she  said.  "  Still,  I  cannot 
marry  every  man  who  may  happen  to  ask  me.  You 
know  so  much  about  this  matter  that  I  feel  justified 
in  saying  this  ;  and  I  earnestly  beg  that  you  will  ask 
no  more." 

But  this  Mr.  Wefl  said  gently  he  could  not  prom- 
itt.  Ht  said  further  that  Roseleaf  was  one  of  hit 


dearest  friends,  and  that  he  could  not  without  emo- 
tion see  him  in  such  distress  as  he  had  recently 
witnessed. 

"  You  don't  know  how  fond  I  am  of  that  boy,"  he 
added.  "  I  would  do  anything  in  my  power  to 
make  him  happy.  He  loves  you.  He  will  make 
you  a  good  husband.  You  must  give  me  some  mes- 
sage that  will  console  him." 

He  could  not  get  it,  try  as  he  might  ;  and  he  said, 
with  a  forced  smile,  that  he  should  renew  the  attack 
at  an  early  date,  for  the  cause  was  a  righteous  one, 
that  he  could  not  give  over  unsatisfied.  He  took  her 
arm  and  strolled  up  and  down  the  veranda,  in  such 
a  way  that  any  visitor  might  have  taken  them  to  be 
lovers,  if  not  already  married.  She  liked  him  better 
and  better.  The  touch  of  his  sleeve  was  pleasant. 
His  low  tones  soothed  the  ache  in  her  bosom,  severe 
enough,  God  knows  !  When  her  father  came  from 
the  city  he  smiled  brightly  to  see  them  together,  and 
after  hearing  that  Millicent  was  away,  came  to  the 
dinner  table  with  the  gayest  air  he  had  worn  for 
months. 

Another  week  passed,  during  which  Mr.  Weil 
went  nearly  every  day  to  Midlands,  and  communi- 
cated to  Roseleaf  on  each  return  the  result  of  his 
labors,  coloring  them  with  the  roseate  hues  of  hope, 
though  there  was  little  that  could  legitimately  be 
drawn  from  the  words  or  actions  of  Miss  Daisy. 
The  critic  for  Cutt  &  Slashem  had  also  been  given 
more  than  an  inkling  of  the  state  of  affairs,  and  had 
perused  with  delight  the  chapters  last  written  on  the 
famous  romance.  He  saw  that  the  next  experience 


needed  by  the  author  was  a  severe  attack  of  jeal. 
ousy,  and  as  there  was  no  one  else  to  play  the  part 
of  lago  he  himself  undertook  the  r6le. 

"Archie  Weil  is  pretty  popular  with  the  Fern 
family,  isn't  he?"  was  the  way  he  began,  when  he 
called  on  Roseleaf.  "  I  met  the  old  gentleman  the 
other  day  and  he  seemed  absolutely  'gone  on  '  him, 
as  the  saying  is.  They  tell  me  he's  out  at  Midlands 
every  day.  Got  his  eye  on  the  younger  daughter, 
too,  they  intimate." 

It  takes  but  little  to  unnerve  a  mind  already 
driven  to  the  verge  of  distraction.  The  next  time  that 
Weil  saw  Roseleaf,  the  latter  received  him  with  a 
coolness  that  could  not  be  ignored.  When  he 
pressed  for  a  reason,  the  young  man  broke  out  into 
invective. 

"Don't  pretend  !"  he  cried.  "You've  heard  of 
the  case  of  John  Alden.  What's  been  worked  once 
may  go  again.  I'm  not  entirely  blind." 

Mr.  Weil,  with  pained  eyes,  begged  his  friend  to 
explain. 

"  Tell  me  this,"  shouted  Roseleaf.  "  Do  you  love 
that  girl,  yourself?" 

Unprepared  for  the  quest:on,  Archie  shrank  as 
from  a  flash  of  lightning,  and  could  not  reply. 

"  I  know  you  do  /"  came  the  next  sentence,  sharply. 
"  And  I  know  that  it  is  owing  to  the  inroads  you 
have  made — not  only  with  her  but  with  her  father — 
that  I  have  been  pushed  out.  Well,  go  ahead.  I've  no 
objection.  Only  don't  come  here  every  day,  with 
your  cock  and  bull  stories  of  pleading  my  cause,  for 
I've  had  enough  of  them  !" 


THE   GREEN-EYED   MONSTER.  189 

Tht  novelist  turned  aside,  and  Mr.  Weil,  too  hurt 
to  say  a  word,  arose  and  silently  left  the  room.  His 
brain  whirled  so  that  he  was  actually  giddy.  Not 
knowing  where  else  to  turn  he  went  to  see  Mr.  Goug- 
er,  to  whom  he  unbosomed  the  result  of  his  call. 

"  Don't  be  too  serious  about  it,"  said  Gouger, 
soothingly.  "It's  a  good  thing  for  the  lad  to  get 
his  sluggish  blood  stirred  a  little.  In  a  day  or  two 
he'll  be  all  right.  That  novel  of  his  is  coming  on 
grandly  !" 

Weil  was  in  no  mood  to  talk  about  novels,  and 
finding  that  he  could  get  no  consolation  of  the  kind 
he  craved,  he  soon  left  the  office.  The  critic  laughed 
silently  to  himself  at  the  idea  of  the  biter  having  at 
last  been  bitten,  and  then  took  his  way  to  Roseleaf's 
rooms. 

No  answer  being  returned  to  his  knock,  he  opened 
the  door  and  entered.  At  first  he  thought  the  place 
was  vacant,  but  presently  he  espied  a  still  form  on 
the  bed.  The  novelist  was  stretched  out  in  an 
attitude  which  at  first  suggested  death  rather  than 
sleep,  and  alarmed  the  visitor  not  a  little.  Investi- 
gation, however,  showed  that  he  was  simply  in  a 
tired  sleep,  worn  out  with  worry  and  restless  nights. 

"What  a  beauty  !"  whispered  Gouger.  "A  very 
dramatic  scene  could  be  worked  up  if  that  sweet- 
heart of  his  were  brought  here  and  made  to  stand 
beside  the  couch  when  he  awakes.  Yes,  it  would  be 
grand,  but  it  would  need  his  own  pen  to  trace  the 
words  !" 

The  hardly  dry  pages  of  the  great  manuscript  that 
lay  on  an  adjacent  desk  caught  the  eyes  of  the  critic 


190  A  BLACK  ADO9I8. 

and  he  sat  down  to  scan  them  closer.  As  he  turned 
fhe  leaves  he  grew  so  delighted  as  to  become  almost 
uncontrollable. 

"  He's  a  genius,   nothing  less  !"  he  said,  raptur* 
ously,  and  then  tiptoed  softly  from  the  chamber. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

H  I'VE   HAD   SUCH    LUCK  !" 

One  day  Mr.  Fern  came  home  in  a  state  of  great 
excitement.  He  had  not  acted  naturally  for  a  long 
time  and  Daisy,  who  met  him  at  the  door,  wondered 
what  could  be  the  cause  of  his  strange  manner.  He 
caught  his  daughter  in  his  arms  and  kissed  her  like 
a  lover.  Tears  came  to  his  eyes,  but  they  were  tears 
of  joy.  He  laughed  hysterically  as  he  wiped  them 
away  and  told  her  not  to  mind  him,  for  he  was  the 
happiest  man  in  New  York. 

"  I've  had  such  luck  !"  he  exclaimed,  when  she 
stared  at  him.  "  Oh,  Daisy,  I've  had  such  grand 
luck  !" 

She  led  him  to  a  seat  on  a  sofa  and  waited  for  him 
to  tell  her  more. 

"  You  can't  imagine  the  relief  I  feel,"  he  continued, 
when  he  had  caught  sufficient  breath.  "  I've  had 
an  awful  time  in  business  for  years,  but  to-day  every- 
thing is  all  cleared  up.  The  house  over  our  heads 
was  mortgaged  ;  the  notes  I  owed  Boggs  were  al- 


"I'VE  HAD  SUCH  MJOK!"  Itl 

Most  due  ;  I  had  given  out  paper  that  I  could  sec  no 
way  of  meeting.  And  now  it  is  all  provided  for,  I 
am  out  of  financial  danger,  and  I  have  enough  to 
quit  business  and  live  in  ease  and  comfort  with  my 
family  the  rest  of  my  days  !" 

Daisy  could  only  look  her  surprise.  She  could 
not  understand  such  a  transformation.  But  she 
loved  her  father  dearly,  and  seeing  that  he  was 
happy  made  her  happy,  too  ;  though  she  had  had 
her  own  sorrows  of  late. 

"  Tell  me  about  it,  father,"  she  said,  putting  an 
arm  around  his  neck. 

*'  You  couldn't  understand,  no  matter  how  much  I 
tried  to  make  it  clear,"  he  answered,  excitedly. 
"  There  was  a  combination  that  meant  ruin  or  suc- 
cess, depending  on  the  cast  of  a  die,  as  one  might 
say.  Wool  has  been  in  a  bad  way.  Congress  had 
the  tariff  bill  before  it.  If  higher  protection  was 
put  on,  the  stocks  in  the  American  market  would 
rise.  If  the  tariff  rate  was  lowered  they  would  fall. 
I  took  the  right  side.  I  bought  an  immense  quan- 
tity of  options.  The  bill  passed  to-day  and  the 
President  signed  it.  Wool  went  up,  and  I  am  richer 
by  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  than  I 
was  yesterday  !" 

For  answer  the  girl  kissed  him  affectionately,  and 
for  a  few  moments  neither  of  them  spoke. 

"  I  don't  wonder  you  say  I  can't  understand  busi- 
ness," said  Daisy,  presently.  "  It  would  puzzle 
most  feminine  brains,  I  think,  to  know  how  a  man 
could  purchase  quantities  of  wool  when  he  had  noth- 
ing to  buy  with." 


199  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

The  father  drew  himself  suddenly  away  from  her, 
and  gazed  in  a  sort  of  alarm  into  her  wide-opened 
eyes. 

"  That  is  a  secret,"  he  said,  hoarsely.  "  It  is  one 
of  the  things  business  men  do  not  talk  about.  When 
stocks  are  rising  it  is  easy  to  buy  a  great  deal,  if  one 
only  has  something  to  give  him  a  start." 

"And  you  had  something  ?"  asked  Daisy,  trying  to 
utter  the  words  that  she  thought  would  please  him 
best. 

"Yes,  yes  !"  he  answered,  hurriedly.  "I— had — 
something  !  And  to-morrow  I  shall  free  myself  of 
Boggs,  and  of — of  all  my  troubles.  I  shall  pay  the 
mortgage  on  the  house,  and  we  can  have  anything 
we  want.  Ah  !  What  a  relief  it  is !  What  a 
relief  !" 

He  panted  like  a  man  who  had  run  a  race  with 
wolves  and  had  just  time  to  close  the  door  before 
they  caught  him. 

"May  I  tell  Millie?  asked  the  girl.  "She  has 
worried  about  the  house,  fearing  it  would  be  sold." 

He  shook  his  head  as  if  the  subject  was  disagree- 
able. 

"  She  will  find  it  out,"  he  said.  "  There  is  no 
need  of  haste.  And  at  any  rate  I  don't  want  you  to 
give  her  any  particulars.  I  don't  want  her  to  know 
how  successful  I  have  been.  You  can  say  that  I 
have  made  money — enough  to  free  the  home.  Don't 
tell  any  more  than  that  to  any  one.  It — it  is  not  a 
public  matter.  I  was  so  full  of  happiness  that  I  had 
to  tell  you,  but  no  one  else  is  to  know." 

Daisy  promised,  though  she  asked  almost  taunt- 


"i'v«  HAD  IUOH  LUOK!"  193 

diately  if  the  prohibition  extended  to  Mr.  Weil.  He 
was  such  a  friend  of  the  family,  she  said,  he  would 
be  very  much  gratified. 

She  had  reached  thus  far  in  her  innocent  sugges- 
tion, when  she  happened  to  glance  at  her  father's 
face.  He  was  deathly  pale.  His  body  was  limp  and 
his  chin  sunken  to  his  breast. 

"  Father  !"  she  exclaimed.  And  then,  seized  with 
a  nameless  fear,  was  about  to  summon  other  help, 
when  he  opened  his  eyes  slowly  and  touched  her 
hand  with  his. 

"You  are  ill!  Shall  I  call  the  servants?"  she 
asked,  anxiously. 

He  intimated  that  she  should  not,  and  presently 
rallied  enough  to  say  he  was  better,  and  required 
nothing. 

"What  were  we  speaking  of?"  he  asked,  in  a 
strained  voice. 

"  We  were  talking  of  your  grand  fortune,  and  I 
asked  if  I  might  not  tell  Mr. — " 

He  stopped  her  with  a  movement,  and  another 
spasm  crossed  his  face. 

"You  will  make  no  exception,  he  whispered. 
"  None  whatever.  My  affairs  will  interest  no  one 
else.  If  you  are  interrogated,  you  must  know  noth- 
ing. Nothing,"  he  added,  impressively,  "  nothing 
whatever  !" 

Mr.  Fern's  recovery  was  almost  as  quick  as  his 
attack,  although  he  did  not  resume  the  gaiety  of  man- 
ner with  which  he  had  opened  the  subject.  After 
dinner  he  talked  with  Daisy,  declaring  over  and  over 
that  she  had  been  on  short  allowance  long  enough, 


194:  A.  BLACK  ADONIS. 

and  asserting  that  she  must  be  positively  in  a  state 
of  want.  She  answered  laughingly  that  she  needed 
very  little,  and  then  suddenly  bethought  herself  of 
something  and  grew  sober. 

"  Do  you  feel  rich  enough  to  let  me  exercise  a 
little  generosity  for  others  ?"  she  inquired. 

He  replied  with  alacrity  that  she  could  do  exactly 
as  she  pleased  with  whatever  sum  he  gave  her,  and 
that  the  amount  should  be  for  her  to  name. 

"  You  don't  know  how  big  it  will  be,"  she  replied, 
timidly. 

"  I'll  risk  that.     Out  with  it,"  he  said,  smiling. 

"  Supposing,"  she  said,  slowly,  "that  I  should  ask 
for  a  thousand  dollars  ?" 

"  You  would  get  it,"  he  laughed.  "  In  fact  I  was 
going  to  propose  that  you  accept  several  thousand, 
and  have  it  put  in  the  bank  in  your  name,  so  you 
would  be  quite  an  independent  young  woman.  You 
must  have  your  own  checkbook  and  get  used  to 
keeping  accounts.  I  will  bring  you  a  certificate  of 
deposit  for  three  thousand  dollars,  and  each  six 
months  afterwards  I  will  put  a  thousand  more  to 
your  credit,  out  of  which  you  can  take  your  pin 
money." 

It  seemed  too  good  to  be  true,  and  the  girl's  face 
brightened  until  it  shone  with  a  light  that  the  father 
thought  the  most  beautiful  on  earth.  Now  she  could 
return  the  thousand  dollars  she  had  borrowed  of 
Mr.  Roseleaf,  a  sum  that  had  given  her  much  uneasi- 
ness since  she  broke  off  her  intimate  relations  with  the 
young  novelist.  More  than  this,  she  would  have  suf- 
ficent  on  hand  to  send  the  future  amounts  that  Han< 


ttl'VE   HAD  SUCH   LUCK  T  195 

nibal  would  need  to  keep  him  abroad.  It  was  such 
a  strange  and  delightful  thing  to  see  smiles  on  her 
father's  face  that  she  did  not  want  anything  to  dis- 
turb them.  She  was  quite  as  happy  as  Mr.  Fern,  now 
that  this  cloud  had  been  lifted  from  her  mind. 

The  next  day  was  a  bright  one  for  the  wool  mer- 
chant. By  noon  he  had  sent  for  Walker  Boggs  and 
astonished  that  gentleman  by  handing  him  a  check 
in  full  for  the  entire  amount  of  his  indebtedness.  In 
answer  to  a  question  he  merely  said  he  had  been  on 
the  right  side  of  the  market.  Mr.  Fern  also  settled 
with  his  mortgage  creditor,  and  went  home  at  night 
happy  that  his  head  would  again  lie  under  a  roof 
actually  as  well  as  in  name  his  own.  Notes  which  he 
had  given  came  back  to  him  soon  after,  and  he 
burned  them  with  a  glee  that  was  almost  saturnine. 
Burned  them,  after  looking  at  their  faces  and  backs, 
after  scanning  the  endorsements  ;  burned  them  with 
his  office  door  locked,  using  the  flame  of  a  gas-jet  for 
the  purpose. 

The  ashes  lay  on  the  floor,  when  a  knock  was 
heard  and  Archie  Weil's  voice  answered  to  the 
resultant  question.  Mr.  Fern  lost  color  at  the 
familiar  sound,  but  he  mustered  courage. 

"  I've  come  to  congratulate  you,"  said  Archie, 
warmly.  "They  say  you  have  made  a  mint  of 
money  out  of  the  rise  in  wool." 

"  Who  says  so  ?"  asked  Mr.  Fern,  warily. 

"  Everybody.     Don't  tell  me  it's  not  true." 

"I've  done  pretty  well,"  was  the  evasive  reply. 
"  And  I'm  going  out  of  business,  too.  It  seems  a 
good  time  to  quit." 


1M  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

Mr.  Weil  made  a  suitable  answer  to  this  statement 
and  the  two  men  talked  together  for  some  time. 
After  awhile  the  conversation  took  a  wider  turn. 

"Where's  your  young  friend,  Roseleaf?'  asked 
Mr.  Fern,  to  whom  the  matter  did  not  seem  to  have 
occurred  before.  "  I  don't  believe  I  have  seen  him 
at  Midlands  for  a  month." 

"  No,  he  doesn't  come,"  replied  Archie,  growing 
darker.  "  If  you  wish  a  particular  reason,  you  will 
have  to  ask  it  of  your  daughter." 

Mr.  Fern  looked  as  if  he  did  not  understand. 

"  He  became  very  fond  of  her,"  explained  Archie, 
"and  for  some  reason,  he  does  not  know  what,  she 
has  evinced  a  sudden  dislike  to  him." 

Mr.  Fern  looked  still  more  astonished. 

"  Millie  is  a  strange  girl,"  he  ventured  to  remark. 
"  But  I  supposed — I  was  almost  sure,  her  affections 
were  engaged  elsewhere  ;  and,  really,  I  thought  he 
knew  it." 

Mr.  Weil  stared  now,  for  it  was  evident  his  com- 
panion was  far  from  the  right  road.  He  was  also 
interested  to  hear  that  Miss  Fern  had  anything  like 
a  love  affair  in  mind,  for  he  had  supposed  such  a 
thing  quite  impossible. 

"  I  was  not  speaking  of  Miss  Millicent,  but  of  Miss 
Daisy,"  he  said. 

The  wool  merchant  rose  from  his  chair  in  the  ex- 
tremity of  his  astonishment. 

"  You  meant  that — that  Mr.  Roseleaf — was  in  love 
with  Daisy!"  he  said.  "And  that  she  seemed  to 
reciprocate  his  attachment  ?" 

"  I  did.    And  also  that  a  few  weeks  ago  she  asked 


I'VE  HJO)  SUCH  LUCK!"  197 


him  to  cease  his  visits,  giving  no  explanation  of  the 
cause  of  her  altered  demeanor.  .  He  is  a  most  ex- 
cellent young  gentleman,"  continued  Weil,  "and 
one  for  whom  I  entertain  a  sincere  affection.  Her 
conduct  is  a  great  blow  to  him,  especially  as  he  does 
not  know  what  he  has  done  to  deserve  it.  I  trust 
the  estrangement  will  not  be  permanent,  as  they  are 
eminently  suited  to  each  other." 

The  face  of  Mr.  Fern  was  a  study  as  he  heard  this 
explanation. 

"  If  he  was  an  honorable  man,  why  did  he  not 
come  to  me?"  he  asked,  pointedly. 

"  He  was  constantly  seeking  Miss  Daisy's  per- 
mission to  do  so,"  replied  Archie.  "  Which  she 
never  seemed  quite  willing  to  give  him." 

"She  is  too  young  to  think  of  marriage,"  mused 
Mr.  Fern,  after  a  long  pause. 

"  He  is  willing  to  wait  ;  but  her  present  attitude, 
giving  him  no  hope  whatever,  has  thrown  him  into 
the  deepest  dejection." 

From  this  Mr.  Weil  proceeded  to  tell  Mr.  Fern  all 
he  knew  about  Roseleaf.  He  said  the  young  man 
was  at  present  engaged  on  literary  work  that 
promised  to  yield  him  good  returns.  He  had  a 
small  fortune  of  his  own  beside.  Everything  that 
could  be  thought  of  in  his  favor  was  dilated  upon  to 
the  fullest  extent. 

"  I  don't  believe  I  can  spare  my  '  baby,'  "  said  Mr. 
Fern,  kindly,  "  for  any  man.  You  plead  with  much 
force,  Mr.  Weil,  for  your  friend.  How  is  it  thatytu 
have  never  married.  Are  you  blind  to  the  charms 
of  the  sex  ?" 


196  A   BLACK   AJ30NI8. 

For  an  instant  Archie  was  at  loss  how  to  reply. 

"  On  the  contrary,"  he  said,  at  last,  "  I  appreciate 
them  fully.  I  have  had  my  heart's  affair,  too  ;  but," 
he  paused  a  long  time,  "  she  loved  another,  and  there 
was  but  one  woman  for  me.  Perhaps  this  leads  me 
to  sympathize  all  the  more  with  my  unfortunate 
young  friend." 

Mr.  Fern  said  he  would  have  a  talk  with  Daisy,  and 
learn  what  he  could  without  bringing  in  the  name  of 
his  informant. 

"We  fathers  are  always  the  last  to  see  these 
things,"  he  added.  "  It  would  be  terrible  to  give  her 
up,  but  I  want  her  to  be  happy." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

A   BURGLAR   IN    THE   HOUSE. 

Millicent  Fern  lay  wide  awake  a  few  nights  later, 
at  Midlands,  when  the  clock  struck  two.  She  was 
thinking  of  her  second  novel,  now  nearly  ready  for 
Mr.  Roseleaf's  hand.  There  was  a  hitch  in  the  plot 
that  she  could  best  unravel  in  the  silence.  As  she 
lay  there  she  heard  a  slight  noise,  as  of  some  one 
moving  about.  At  first  she  paid  little  attention  to 
it,  but  later  she  grew  curious,  for  she  had  never  known 
the  least  motion  in  that  house  after  its  occupants 
were  once  abed.  She  thought  of  each  of  them  in 
succession,  and  decided  that  the  matter  ought  to  be 
investigated. 


A  BURGLAR  IN  THE  HOUSE.          10$ 

Millicent  had  no  fear.  If  there  was  a  burglar 
present,  she  wanted  to  know.  She  arose,  therefore, 
and  slipped  on  a  dress  and  slippers.  Guided  only 
by  the  uncertain  light  that  came  in  at  the  windows, 
she  tiptoed  across  the  hall,  and  in  the  direction  in 
which  she  had  heard  the  noise.  She  soon  located 
it  as  being  on  the  lower  floor  where  there  were  no 
bedrooms,  and  a  thrill  of  excitement  passed  over  her. 
She  crept  as  silently  as  possible  down  the  back 
stairs,  and  toward  the  sound,  which  she  was  now 
sure  was  in  the  library. 

What  was  the  sound  ?  It  was  the  rustling  of 
papers.  It  might  be  made  by  a  mouse,  but  Milli- 
cent was  not  even  afraid  of  mice.  She  was  afraid  of 
nothing,  so  far  as  she  knew.  If  there  was  a  robber 
there,  he  would  certainly  run  when  discovered.  At 
the  worst  she  could  give  a  loud  outcry,  and  the  serv- 
ants would  come. 

She  tiptoed  along  the  lower  hall.  A  man  sat  at 
her  father's  desk,  examining  his  private  papers  so 
carefully,  that  he  seemed  wholly  lost  in  the  occupa- 
tion. 

The  room  was  quite  light.  In  fact,  the  gas  was 
lit,  and  the  intruder  was  taking  his  utmost  ease. 
His  face  was  half  turned  toward  the  girl,  and  she 
recognized  him  without  difficulty. 

It  was  Hannibal  ! 

Hannibal,  whom  she  supposed  at  that  moment  in 
France  ! 

Without  pausing  to  form  any  plan,  Millicent 
stepped  into  the  presence  of  the  negro. 

"  Thief,"  she  said,  sharply,  "  what  do  you  want  ?" 


200  A  BLACK   ADOWIS. 

They  had  hated  each  other  cordially  for  a  long 
time,  and  neither  had  changed  their  opinion  in  the 
slightest  degree.  Hannibal  looked  up  quietly  at  the 
figure  in  the  doorway. 

*'  I  have  a  good  mind  to  tell  you,"  he  said,  smil- 
ing. 

"  You  will  have  to  tell  me,  and  give  a  pretty  good 
reason,  too,  if  you  mean  to  keep  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  police,"  she  retorted.  "  Come  !" 

He  laughed  silently,  resting  his  head  on  his  hands, 
his  elbows  on  the  desk.  MiKicent's  hair  hung  in  a 
loose  coil,  her  shoulders  were  but  imperfectly  cov- 
ered by  her  half  buttoned  gown,  the  feet  that  filled 
her  slippers  had  no  hosiery  on  them.  She  was  as 
fair  a  sight  as  one  might  find  in  a  year. 

"  Do  you  remember  the  time  I  saw  you  in  this  guise 
before  ?"  he  asked,  in  a  low  voice. 

A  convulsion  seized  the  girl's  countenance.  She 
looked  as  if  she  would  willingly  have  killed  him,  had 
she  a  weapon  in  her  hand.  But  she  could  not  speak 
at  first. 

"  It  was  you  who  sought  me  then,"  said  the 
negro.  "And  because  I  bade  you  go  back  to  your 
chamber,  you  never  forgave  me.  Have  you  for- 
gotten ?" 

Gasping  for  breath,  like  one  severely  wounded, 
Millicent  roused  herself. 

"Will  you  go,"  she  demanded,  hotly, "  or  shall  I 
summon  help  ?" 

"  Neither,"  replied  Hannibal.  "  If  you  inform 
any  person  that  I  am  here,  I  will  tell  the  story  I 
hinted  at  just  now.  Besides,  I  would  only  have  to 


A  BUKOLAB  IN  THB  HOUSE.  SOI 

wait  until  your  father  came  down,  when  ne  would 
order  them  to  release  me,  and  say  I  came  here  by  his 
request." 

Millicent  chafed  horribly  at  his  coolness. 

"  Came  here  by  my  father's  request !"  she  echoed. 
u  In  the  middle  of  the  night  !  A  likely  story.  Do 
you  think  any  one  would  believe  it  ?" 

"I  do  not  think  they  would.  It  would  not  even 
be  true.  But  he  would  say  it  was,  if  I  told  him  to, 
and  that  would  answer.  Don't  you  know  by  this 
time  that  I  have  Wilton  Fern  in  a  vise  ?" 

Yes,  she  did  know  it.  Everything  had  pointed  in 
that  direction.  MiHicent  could  not  dispute  the 
insinuation. 

"  What  has  he  done,  in  God's  name,  that  makes 
him  the  slave  of  such  a  thing  as  you  ?"  she  cried. 

"I  will  answer  that  question  by  asking  another," 
said  the  negro,  after  a  pause.  "  Do  you  know  that 
Shirley  Roseleaf  hopes  to  wed  your  sister  ?" 

The  shot  struck  home.  With  pale  lips  Millicent 
found  herself  trembling  before  this  fellow. 

"You  love  him,"  pursued  the  man,  relentlessly. 
"You  do  not  need  to  affirm  or  deny  this,  for  I  know. 
He  loves  Daisy,  and  unless  prevented,  will  marry 
her.  I  hold  a  secret  over  your  father's  head  which 
can  send  him  to  the  State  prison  for  twenty  years. 
If  I  confide  it  to  you,  will  you  swear  to  let  no  one  but 
him  know  until  I  give  you  leave  ?" 

The  girl  bowed  quickly.  She  could  hardly  bear 
the  strain  of  delay. 

"  Then  listen,"  said  the  negro.  "  To  save  himself 
in  business  he  has  committed  numerous  forgeries* 


209  A  BLACK 

upon  the  names  of  two  men.  One  of  them  is  Walker 
Boggs  and  the  other  Archie  Weil.  Very  recently  he 
has  been  successful  in  his  speculations,  and  has  called 
in  many  notes  with  these  forged  endorsements.  But 
the  proofs  of  his  crimes  are  ample,  and  I  possess 
them.  If  he  ever  proposes  to  let  Roseleaf  marry 
Daisy,  hint  to  him  of  what  you  know,  and  he  will 
obey  your  will.  I  shall  be  in  the  city.  Here  is  my 
address.  If  you  need  me  I  am  at  your  service. 
Understand,  I  shall  not  harm  your  father  unless  he 
makes  it  necessary.  I  only  mean  to  use  the  fear  of 
what  might  await  him,  and  you  can  do  the  same.  It 
is  time.  I  was  going.  I  have  found  all  I  want  here, 
though  I  had  enough  before." 

He  handed  Millicent  a  card  on  which  was  the 
address  he  had  mentioned,  and  she  allowed  herself  to 
take  it  from  his  hand.  Then  he  started  to  pick  up  a 
package  of  papers  that  lay  where  he  had  put  them  on 
the  table,  when  a  third  figure,  to  the  consternation  of 
both,  brushed  Millicent  aside,  and  stepped  into  the 
room.  It  was  the  younger  sister. 

"Give  that  to  me!"  she  demanded,  imperiously, 
reaching  out  her  hand  for  the  package. 

The  apparition  was  so  unexpected  that  the  previ- 
ous occupants  of  the  library  stood  for  a  few  seconds 
staring  at  it  without  moving  a  step.  Daisy  was 
dressed  in  much  the  same  manner  as  Millicent,  but 
she  thought  only  of  the  danger  that  threatened  one 
she  loved  better  than  life — her  father. 

"Give  that  to  me!"  she  repeated,  approaching 
Hannibal  closer. 


Without  a  word  the  negro,  his  head  bowed,  handed 
it  to  her. 

"And  now,"  she  said,  in  the  same  quick,  sharp 
tone,  "  the  others  !" 

"They  are  not  here,"  he  answered,  huskily. 

"  Where  are  they  ?" 

"At  my  lodgings  in  the  city." 

Instantly  Daisy  snatched  the  card  from  her  sister's 
hand. 

"At  this  place?"  she  asked,  hastily  scanning  the 
writing. 

"Yes,"  said  Hannibal,  in  a  voice  that  was  scarcely 
audible. 

"I  will  be  there  this  morning  at  ten  o'clock.  See 
that  they  are  ready." 

The  negro  bowed,  while  his  chest  heaved  rapidly. 

"  And  now,"  said  the  girl,  pointing  to  the  door, 
"  go  !" 

He  hesitated,  as  if  he  wanted  to  say  more  to  her, 
but  recollecting  that  she  would  meet  him  so  soon,  lie 
turned  and  obeyed  her.  At  the  threshold  he  only 
paused  to  say,  "  You  must  come  alone  ;  otherwise  it 
will  be  of  no  use."  And  she  answered  that  she  un- 
derstood. 

She  followed  some  paces  behind  and  closed  the 
door  after  him,  pushing  a  bolt  that  she  did  not 
remember  had  ever  been  used  before. 

Then  she  turned  to  encounter  her  sister  ;  but  Mii- 
licent  had  disappeared. 


304  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

CHAPTER  XVIIL 

BLACK    AND   WHITE. 

When  Daisy  reached  her  own  room  again,  she  felt  as- 
sured that  no  one  but  herself  and  Millicent  knew  what 
had  occurred.  This  was  something.  Had  her  father 
awakened,  she  did  not  know  what  might  have  fol- 
lowed. She  had  seen  him  too  often,  pale  and  dis- 
traught, in  the  presence  of  his  relentless  enemy,  not 
to  entertain  the  greatest  thankfulness  that  he  had 
slept  through  this  terrible  experience.  At  any  cost 
it  must  be  kept  from  him.  She  would  beg,  pray,  en- 
treat Millicent  to  seal  her  lips.  And  in  the  morning 
she  would  go  to  the  address  Hannibal  had  given  her 
and  obtain  his  proofs  of  her  father's  guilt,  remov- 
ing the  frightful  nightmare  that  had  so  long  hung 
over  that  dear  head. 

Would  Hannibal  surrender  his  documents  ?  He 
had  made  a  tacit  promise  to  do  so,  and  she  had  faith 
that  she  could  make  him  keep  his  word.  She  knew 
the  negro  had  a  liking  for  her  that  was  very  strong. 

She  had  made  it  possible  for  him  to  become  a 
man — by  giving  him  the  money  that  took  him  to 
France.  Why  had  he  returned  so  suddenly  ?  What 
new  fancy  had  caused  him  to  give  up  his  studies  and 
recross  the  sea  to  enter  her  doors  at  night,  to 
plunder  still  further  secrets  from  her  father's  private 
desk  ?  There  were  a  thousand  reasons  for  fear,  but 
the  devoted  daughter  only  thought  of  saving  the  one 


BLACK  AND  WHITE.  2305 

she  loved  at  all  risks.  She  would  dare  anything  in 
his  behalf. 

And  this  father  of  hers — that  she  had  revered  from 
babyhood — was  a  forger  !  He  had  made  himself 
liable  to  a  term  of  imprisonment  in  the  common 
jail  !  He  was  a  criminal,  for  whom  the  law  would 
stretch  out  its  hand  as  soon  as  his  guilt  was  re- 
vealed !  His  previous  high  standing  in  the  com- 
munity could  not  save  him  ;  nor  the  love  of  his 
children  ;  nor  his  new  fortune — won  by  such  means 
as  this.  Nothing  could  make  his  liberty  secure  but 
the  silencing  of  the  witness  to  his  fault,  the  negro 
who  had  carefully  possessed  himself  of  certain  facts 
with  which  to  ruin  his  benefactor. 

What  did  Hannibal  want  ?  Surely  he  had  no  re- 
venge to  gratify,  as  against  her  or  her  father !  They 
had  treated  him  with  the  greatest  consideration. 
Only  once — that  day  on  the  lawn — had  Daisy  spoken 
to  him  in  a  sharp  tone,  and  then  the  provocation 
was  very  great.  Since  then  she  had  raised  the  money 
that  was  to  make  a  man  of  him.  What  did  he 
require  now  ?  An  increased  bribe  to  keep  him  away  ? 
Well,  she  would  get  it  for  him.  She  would  spend 
one,  two,  three  thousand  dollars  if  necessary  to 
purchase  his  silence ;  if  it  needed  more  she  could 
borrow  of — of  Mr.  Weil. 

Yes,  Mr.  Weil  was  the  friend  to  whom  she  would 
turn  in  this  emergency.  He  had  lost  nothing, 
apparently,  by  the  unwarranted  use  of  his  name. 
The  notes  on  which  his  endorsement  had  been  forged 
were  all  paid.  When  she  met  Hannibal  she  would 
ascertain  his  price  and  then  the  rest  would  be  easy. 


206  A  SLACK 


Her  father  need  not  even  know  the  danger  to  which 
he  had  been  exposed. 

In  the  morning  she  went  to  Millicent's  room  early, 
in  order  to  have  a  conversation  with  her  undisturbed. 
Millicent  was  sleeping  soundly  and  was  awakened 
with  some  difficulty. 

"  I've  only  been  unconscious  a  little  whiie,"  she 
said,  in  explanation.  "  I  thought  I  never  should 
sleep  again.  Oh,  what  a  disgrace  !  My  father  a 
forger  !  Liable  to  go  to  prison  with  common 
criminals,  to  wear  the  stripes  of  a  convict  !  It  seems 
as  if  my  degradation  could  go  no  lower." 

Reddening  with  surprise  at  the  attitude  of  her 
sister,  Daisy  answered  that  the  thing  to  be  thought 
of  now  was  how  to  save  Mr.  Fern  from  the  conse- 
quences of  his  errors. 

"  You're  a  strange  girl,"  was  Millicent's  reply. 
"  You  don't  think  of  me  at  all  !  Won't  it  be  nice  to 
have  people  point  after  me  in  the  street  and  say, 
'  There  goes  one  of  the  Fern  girls,  whose  father  is  in 
Sing  Sing  !'  I  never  thought  I  should  come  to 
this.  There's  no  knowing  how  far  it  will  follow  me. 
I  doubt  if  any  reputable  man  will  marry  me,  when 
the  facts  are  known." 

Thoroughly  disgusted  with  her  sister's  selfishness, 
Daisy  cried  out  that  the  facts  must  not  be  known-— 
that  they  must  be  covered  up  and  kept  from  the 
world,  and  that  she  was  going  to  bring  this  about. 
She  reminded  Millicent  of  the  evident  suffering  their 
father  had  undergone  for  the  past  two  years,  changed 
from  a  light-hearted  man  into  the  easily  alarmed 
mood  they  had  known  so  well. 


BLACK   AJTD    Wmi'K.  207 


"  If  he  deserved  punishment,  God  knows  he  has 
had  enough  !"  she  added.  "  And  there  is  another 
thing  you  and  I  ought  not  to  forget,  Millie.  What- 
ever he  did  was  in  the  hope  of  saving  this  home  and 
enough  to  live  on,  for  us  !  During  the  last  week  he 
has  had  an  improvement  in  business.  He  has  paid 
all  of  those  people  whose  claims  distressed  him. 
You  have  seen  how  much  brighter  it  has  made  him. 
Now,  when  he  had  a  fair  prospect  of  a  few  happy 
days,  comes  this  terrible  danger.  Surely  you  and  I 
will  use  our  utmost  endeavors  to  shield  him  from 
harm.  Even  if  he  were  the  worst  of  sinners  he  is 
still  our  father  !" 

But  Millicent  did  not  seem  at  all  convinced.  She 
could  only  see  that  her  reputation  had  been  put  in 
jeopardy,  and  that  a  dreadful  fear  would  constantly 
hang  over  her  on  account  of  it. 

"It  is  your  fault,  as  much  as  his,  too!"  she  ex- 
claimed, angrily.  "  You  both  made  as  much  of  that 
negro  as  if  he  were  a  prince  in  disguise.  I've  told 
you  a  hundred  times  that  he  ought  to  be  discharged. 
I  hope  you'll  admit  I  was  right,  at  last." 

There  was  little  use  in  reminding  her  sister  that 
Hannibal  had  shown  himself  the  possessor  of  some 
information  that  endangered  Mr.  Fern  before  either 
he  or  Daisy  began  to  cultivate  his  good  will  ;  for  she 
knew  it  well  enough.  What  Daisy  did  say  was 
more  to  the  point. 

"  Have  you  always  hated  him  ?"  she  asked, 
meaningly.  "  What  did  he  mean  last  night  by  his 
reference  to  a  time  when  you  taught  him,  en  dis- 


JOS  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

Millicent  sprang  up  in  bed,  with  flashing  eyes. 

"  He  is  a  lying  scoundrel !"  she  cried,  vehemently. 
"  I  never  did  anything  of  the  kind,  and  I  do  not  see 
how  you  can  stand  there  and  repeat  such  a  cal- 
umny 1" 

*  The  strange  thing  about  it,"  replied  Daisy,  quietly, 
"  is  that  you  did  not  dispute  him.  But  then,  you  did 
not  know  a  third  person  was  present.  When  I  meet 
him  this  morning  I  shall  ask  for  further  particu- 
lars." 

Millicent  sprang  from  the  bed  and  threw  her- 
self at  her  sister's  feet. 

"Would  you  drive  me  mad  !"  she  exclaimed.  "I 
am  distracted  already  with  the  troubles  of  this  house, 
and  now  you  wish  to  hear  the  lying  inventions  of  one 
you  know  to  be  a  blackmailer  and  a  robber  !  Don't 
mention  my  name  to  him,  I  entreat  you.  He  is  cap- 
able of  any  slander.  You  can't  intend  to  listen  to 
tales  about  your  sister  from  such  a  low,  base  thing  !" 

Having  Millicent  at  her  feet,  Daisy  was  pleased  to 
relent  a  little. 

"  Very  well,"  she  said.  "  I  will  not  let  him  tell 
me  anything  about  you.  But  I  want  you  to  prom- 
ise in  return  that  you  will  do  all  you  can  to  protect 
father  from  the  slightest  knowledge  of  what  hap- 
pened last  night.  I  am  afraid  it  would  kill  him.  So 
far  he  believes  us  ignorant  of  his  troubles.  If  I  can 
make  an  arrangement  to  send  Hannibal  back  to 
France  he  will  remain  so.  Be  sure  you  do  not 
arouse  his  suspicions  in  any  way,  and  we  may  come 
out  all  right  yet." 

The  promise  was  made,  and,  as  nothing  could  be 


BLACK   AND   WHITE.  909 

gained  by  prolonging  the  conversation,  Daisy  with- 
drew. In  the  lower  hall  she  met  her  father,  and  his 
bright  smile  proved  to  her  that  he  was  still  in  bliss- 
ful ignorance  that  any  new  cloud  had  crossed  his 
sky.  Millicent  did  not  appear  at  breakfast,  for 
which  neither  of  the  others  were  sorry.  It  enabled 
Mr.  Fern  to  talk  over  some  of  his  plans  with  his 
younger  daughter.  Among  them  was  a  possible 
trip  abroad,  for  he  said  he  felt  the  need  of  a  long 
rest  after  his  troubled  business  career. 

The  last  suggestion  opened  a  new  hope  for  Daisy. 
If  worse  came  to  worst,  and  there  was  no  other  way 
to  escape  the  jail,  flight  in  a  European  steamer 
could  be  resorted  to.  It  would  mean  expatriation 
for  life,  as  far  as  he  was  concerned,  but  that  would 
be  a  thousand  times  better  than  a  lingering  death 
inside  of  stone  walls.  He  could  raise  a  large  sum 
of  ready  money,  and  they  would  want  for  nothing. 
Millie  would  not  wish  to  go  with  them,  probably. 
She  would  stay  and  marry — how  the  thought 
choked  Daisy — marry  Mr.  Roseleaf  ;  unless  indeed, 
the  young  novelist  did  what  she  had  foreshadowed, 
repudiated  the  thought  of  allying  himself  with  a 
tainted  name. 

Roseleaf  !  The  bright,  happy  love  she  had  given 
him  came  back  to  the  child  like  a  wave  of  agony. 

Making  an  excuse  that  she  had  shopping  to  do, 
Daisy  took  the  train  to  the  city  with  her  father,  and 
parted  from  him  at  a  point  where  the  downtown  and 
uptown  street  cars  separated.  Then  she  took  a  cab 
and  drove  to  the  address  given  her. 

It  was  not  the  finest  quarter  in  the  city,  ana  she 


210  JL   BLACK 


would  have  hesitated  at  any  other  time  before  tak- 
ing such  a  risk  as  going  there  alone.  At  present  she 
thought  of  nothing  but  the  object  of  her  visit.  In- 
quiry at  the  door  brought  the  information  that  the 
lady  was  expected  and  that  she  was  to  go  upstairs 
and  wait.  The  woman  who  let  her  in  was  a  pleasant 
faced  mullatress,  and  several  young  children  of 
varying  shades  were  playing  on  the  stairs  she  had 
to  ascend.  Daisy  mounted  to  the  room  designated, 
which  proved  to  be  a  small  parlor,  with  an  alcove, 
behind  the  curtains  of  which  was  presumably  a 
bed. 

As  the  weather  was  quite  warm,  the  girl  went  to 
the  front  windows  and  opened  them,  in  order  to 
admit  the  fresh  air.  Then  she  sat  down  and  waited 
impatiently.  There  was  a  scent  in  the  room  which 
she  associated  with  the  Ethiopian  race,  a  subtle 
aroma  that  she  found  decidedly  unpleasant.  It 
gave  her  an  indefinable  uneasiness,  and  she  men- 
tally remarked  that  she  would  be  glad  when  the 
ordeal  was  over.  Her  nerves  were  already  begin- 
ning to  suffer. 

After  the  lapse  of  fifteen  minutes,  Hannibal  en- 
tered. He  had  the  look  of  one  who  had  passed  a 
sleepless  night,  and  despite  the  blackness  of  his 
complexion,  his  cheeks  seemed  pale. 

"  Good-morning,"  said  Daisy,  rising. 

"  Good-morning,"  he  replied. 

And  then  there  was  a  brief  space  of  silence,  each 
waiting  for  the  other. 

"lam  here,  you  see,"  said  the  girl,  finally,  with  ft* 


BLACK    AND    WHITE. 


211 


attempt  at  a  smile.  "  And  now  will  you  give  me  the 
things  I  came  for,  as  I  cannot  stay  long?" 

The  negro  tried  to  look  at  her,  tried  many  times, 
but  failed.  His  eyes  shifted  uneasily  to  all  the  other 
objects  in  the  room,  resting  on  none  of  them  more 
than  a  second  at  a  time. 

"  You  wonder,"  he  said,  after  another  pause,  "  why 
I  returned  to  America,  why  I  came  to  your  house 
last  night.  I  thought  I  could  tell  you — this  morn- 
ing— and  I  have  been  trying  to  prepare  myself  to  do 
so — but  I  cannot.  You  blame  me  a  great  deal,  that 
is  evident  in  every  line  of  your  face,  but  you  do  not 
know  what  I  have  suffered.  Were  your  father  to  go 
to  jail  for  the  term  the  law  prescribes,  he  would  not 
endure  the  agony  that  has  been  mine." 

He  looked  every  word  he  spoke  and  more. 

"  I  am  sorry,  truly  sorry  for  you,"  she  replied. 
"  But  why  could  you  not  leave  all  your  troubles, 
when  you  went  to  France,  and  begin  an  entirely  new 
life  ?  You  found  it  true  what  I  told  you,  I  am  sure, 
about  the  lack  of  prejudice — ron  account  of  your—- 
race. " 

He  nodded  and  cleared  his  throat  before  he  spoke 
again. 

"  Oh,  yes ;  but  it  is  not  the  prejudice  there  that 
worries  me.  It  is  the  prejudice  here.  It  is  the 
barrier  my  color  brings  between  me  and  the  only 
being  whose  regard  I  crave  !" 

The  girl's  cheeks  grew  rosier  than  ever,  but  she 
affected  not  to  understand,  and  once  more  reverted 
to  the  errand  that  had  brought  her  thither. 

**  You  promised  me  the  documents  with  which  my 


213  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

poor  father  has  been  tortured,"  she  said,  reproach- 
fully ;  "let  us  not  talk  of  other  things  until  you 
have  given  them  to  me." 

The  negro  drew  from  a  pocket  of  his  coat  a  fair- 
sized  package  tied  with  a  ribbon. 

"  They  are  all  there,"  he  said.  "  Every  scrap, 
every  particle  of  proof,  everything  that  could  bring 
the  breath  of  suspicion  upon  your  father's  honesty. 
All  there,  in  that  little  envelope." 

She  reached  for  it,  but  instead  of  giving  it  to  her, 
Hannibal  caught  her  hand,  and  before  she  dreamed 
what  he  intended,  pressed  a  kiss  upon  it.  The  next 
moment  the  girl,  with  a  look  of  outraged  woman- 
hood, was  rubbing  the  spot  with  her  handkerchief,  as 
if  he  had  covered  it  with  poison. 

"  You  brute  !"  she  exclaimed.     "  You — you — " 

She  could  not  find  the  word  she  wanted  ;  nothing 
in  the  language  she  spoke  seemed  detestable  enough 
to  fill  the  measure  of  her  wrong. 

"  You  see  !"  he  answered,  bitterly.  "  Because  I 
am  black  I  cannot  touch  the  hand  of  a  woman  that  is 
white.  You  have  claimed  to  be  without  the  hatred 
of  the  African  so  ingrained  among  Americans  ;  you 
have  talked  about  the  Almighty  making  of  one 
blood  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  ;  and  yet  you  are 
like  the  rest  !  A  viper's  bite  could  not  have  aroused 
deeper  disgust  in  you  than  my  lips.  And  all  because 
the  sun  shone  more  vertically  on  my  ancestors  than 
it  did  on  yours  !" 

Daisy  was  divided  between  her  horror  of  the  act 
he  had  committed  and  her  anxiety  to  do  something 
to  free  her  father  from  his  danger.  She  suppressed 


BLACK    AJTD  WHITE.  213 

the  hateful  epithets  that  rose  to  her  tongue  and  once 
more  entreated  the  negro  to  give  her  the  packet  he 

held  in  his  possession. 

"You  can  do  nothing  with  it  but  injure  a  man 
who  has  been  kind  to  you,"  she  pleaded.  "  And  if 
you  use  the  information  you  have,  and  afterwards 
repent,  it  will  be  too  late  to  remedy  your  error.  Give 
it  to  me,  and  return  to  France  with  the  proud  con- 
sciousness that  you  are  worthy  the  position  you 
wish  to  occupy." 

Hannibal  shook  his  head  with  decision. 

"  That  would  be  very  well  if  I  ever  could  be  con* 
sidered  a  man  by  the  one  for  whose  opinion  I  care 
most.  But  while  I  am  to  her  a  creature  something 
below  the  ape,  a  mere  crawling  viper  whose  touch 
is  pollution,  I  will  act  like  the  thing  she  thinks  me. 
To-day  I  possess  the  power  to  make  a  high-born 
gentleman  dance  whenever  I  pull  the  string.  You 
ask  me  to  give  up  this  power,  and  in  return  you 
offer — nothing." 

"One  would  suppose,"  remarked  Daisy,  strug- 
gling  with  herself  in  this  dilemma,  "  that  the  ability 
to  inflict  pain  was  one  a  true  nature  would  delight 
to  surrender.  My  father  has  done  no  harm  to 
you." 

The  negro  bent  toward  her  and  spoke  with  vehe- 
mence. 

"  But  his  daughter  has !  She  has  made  my  life 
wretched.  Whatever  position  I  may  attain  will 
be  worthless  to  me,  without  the  love  I  had  hoped 
might  be  mine." 

"  Love  r  cried  the  girl,  recoiling.     "  Love  /* 


914  A.  BLACK  ADQITIB. 

"  Love  and  marriage,"  he  replied.  "  In  France  we 
could  live  without  the  hateful  prejudices  that  prevail 
in  America.  I  have  natural  ability  enough,  you  have 
told  me  so  a  thousand  times,  and  I  could  make  my- 
self worthy  of  you.  As  my  wife — " 

Daisy  rose  and  interrupted  him  fiercely. 

"  Cease  !"  she  exclaimed.  "  There  is  a  limit  to 
what  I  can  endure.  If  you  mean  to  make  any  prom- 
ise of  that  kind  a  prelude  to  my  father's  freedom 
from  persecution,  we  may  as  well  end  this  conversa- 
tion now  as  later.  He  would  rather  rot  in  prison 
than  have  his  child  sacrifice  herself  in  such  a  man- 
ner !" 

She  started  toward  the  door,  and  he  did  not  inter- 
rupt her  passage,  as  she  half  expected  he  would  do  ; 
but  he  spoke  again. 

"  All  this  because  I  am  black,"  he  said. 

"Because  you  are  a  cruel,  heartless  wretch  !"  she 
answered,  her  eyes  flashing.  "  Because  you  have 
abused  the  goodwill  of  a  generous  family  ;  because 
you  have  tortured  a  kind  old  man  and  a  loving  daugh- 
ter. If  you  were  as  white  as  any  person  on  earth,  I 
would  not  marry  you.  Worse  than  all  outward 
semblance  is  a  dark  and  vile  mind.  Do  what  you 
like  !  I  defy  you  !" 

The  door  opened  and  closed  behind  her.  Han. 
nibal  heard  her  retreating  footsteps  grow  fainter  on 
the  stairs,  and  then  there  was  silence. 

"  I  might  have  known  it,"  he  said,  aloud.  "  I  did 
know  it,  but  I  kept  hoping  against  hope.  She  would 
wed  a  Newfoundland  dog  sooner  than  me.  Noth- 
ing is  left  but  to  make  her  repent  her  aciioc.  1  will 


"PLAT   OUT  TOtTS   FJLRCE."  215 

bring  that  father  of  hers  to  the  dust,  if  only  to 
revenge  the  long  list  of  injuries  his  race  has  inflicted 
on  mine  !" 


CHAPTER   XIX 

"  PLAY    OUT    YOUR    FAROE.** 

When  Daisy  left  the  house  where  she  had  the 
interview  with  Hannibal,  she  walked  for  some 
minutes  aimlessly  along  the  street.  Her  mind  was 
in  a  state  of  great  excitement.  She  realized  that  she 
had  defied  a  man  who  could  inflict  the  deepest  injury 
on  the  father  she  dearly  loved.  How  she  could  have 
done  otherwise  was  not  at  all  clear,  but  the  terror 
which  hung  over  her  was  none  the  less  keen.  The 
proposal  of  the  negro — to  marry  her — filled  her  with  a 
nameless  dread  that  made  her  teeth  chatter,  though 
it  was  a  warm  day.  Rather  would  she  have  cast  her 
body  into  the  tides  that  wash  the  shores  of  Man- 
hattan Island.  Even  to  save  her  father  from  prison 
— if  it  came  to  that — she  could  not  make  this  sacri- 
fice. She  now  felt  for  Hannibal  a  horrible  detesta- 
tion, a  feeling  akin  to  that  she  might  entertain  for  a 
rattlesnake.  Whatever  good  she  had  seen  in  him  in 
other  days  had  vanished  under  the  revelations  of  his 
true  character 

What  to  do  next  was  the  absorbing  question.  A 
great  danger  hung  over  her  father.  A  dim  idea  of 
seeking  the  mayor — or  the  chief  of  police — and  im- 


216  JL  BLACK  ADONIS. 

ploring  their  mercy,  entered  her  brain.  Then  she 
thought  of  Roseleaf,  whose  aid  she  might  have 
secured,  if  he  had  not  proved  himself  a  double- 
dealer,  capable  of  making  love  to  herself  and  Milli- 
cent  at  the  same  time.  And  then  came  the  resolve 
to  seek  out  Mr.  Weil,  the  one  person  in  all  this 
trouble  that  seemed  clear  of  wrong.  Her  sister  had 
told  her  that  he  loved  her.  Well,  if  necessary  she 
would  marry  him.  At  least  he  was  a  man  of  honor, 
and  white.  Yes,  she  would  go  to  him  and  throw 
herself  upon  his  mercy. 

Daisy  knew  that  Archie  made  his  headquarters  at 
the  Hoffman  House,  and  summoning  a  cab  she  asked 
to  be  taken  to  that  hotel.  Ensconced  in  the  ladies' 
parlor  she  awaited  the  coming  of  the  man  she  wanted 
and  yet  dreaded  so  much  to  see.  Luckily  he  was  in 
the  house,  and  in  a  few  moments  responded  in  per- 
son to  her  card. 

"Why,  Miss  Daisy/'  he  stammered.  "What  is 
the  matter  ?  Nothing  wrong,  I  trust.  You  look 
quite  pale.  Is  it  anything— about — your  father?" 

The  girl  was  pale  indeed.  Now  that  Mr.  Weil 
was  so  close,  the  danger  that  he  might  not  be  willing 
to  help  her  rose  like  a  mountain  in  her  path.  She 
did  not  know  exactly  how  grave  a  matter  forgery 
was — whether  it  was  something  that  the  injured 
party  would  be  able  or  likely  to  forgive.  If  she 
should  tell  him  everything,  and  he  should  refuse  to 
be  placated — what  could  she  do  then  ? 

There  was  no  one  else  in  the  parlor,  but  seeing 
that  she  wanted  as  much  seclusion  as  possible,  Mr. 
Weil  motioned  the  girl  to  follow  him  to  a  remote 


-PLAT  OUT  YOTTB  FAROE."  SIT 

corner,  where  the  curtains  of  a  recessed  window 
partially  concealed  them.  He  felt  that  she  had 
come  on  a  momentous  errand.  His  suspicions  con- 
cerning Mr.  Fern  were  apparently  about  to  be  veri- 
fied, and  if  so,  he  did  not  mean  that  other  ears  should 
hear  the  tale. 

"  Mr.  Weil,"  began  Daisy,  tremblingly,  "  I  don't 
know  what  to  say  to  you.  I  am  in  great  distress. 
Would  you — will  you — help  me?" 

He  responded  gently  that  he  would  do  anything 
in  his  power.  He  bade  her  calm  herself,  and  prom- 
ised to  be  the  most  attentive  of  listeners. 

Reassured  by  his  kind  words  and  manner,  the  girl 
began  again  ;  but  she  could  not  tell  her  story  con- 
nectedly, and  after  making  several  attempts  to  do 
so,  she  broke  out  in  a  new  direction. 

"I  want  so  very  much  of  you,  dear  Mr.  Weil.  And 
I  am  nervous  and  afraid  to  ask  what  I  would  like.  I 
will  give  you  anything  you  please  in  return.  Yes, 
yes,  anything." 

He  smiled  down  upon  her  face,  on  which  the  tears 
were  making  stains  in  spite  of  her. 

"You  are  promising  a  great  deal,  little  girl,"  he 
said. 

"I  know  it;  I  realize  it  fully,"  she  responded 
quickly.  "  But  I  mean  all  I  say.  I  did  not  think  I 
could,  once,  but  I  am  quite  resolved  now.  Millie 
told  me  you  were  in  love  with  me,  and  feared  I  would 
refuse  you.  But  I  won't.  No,  no,  I  will  marry  you 
— indeed  I  will — if  you  will  only  save  my  darling 
father  !" 

The  concluding  words  were  spoken  in  the  midst  of 


918  A  BLAGS    JLDOSTB. 

a  torrent  of  sobs  that  shook  the  girlish  frame  and 
affected  powerfully  the  strong  man  that  witnessed 
them. 

"  Daisy,  dear  child,  don't  speak  like  this,"  he  ans- 
wered. "  If  I  can  do  anything  for  your  father  I  will 
most  gladly,  and  the  price  of  your  sweet  little  heart 
shall  not  be  demanded  in  payment,  either.  Leave 
that  matter  entirely  out  of  the  question,  and  tell  me 
at  once  what  you  desire." 

She  heard  him  with  infinite  delight,  and  wiping  her 
eyes  she  began,  in  broken  tones,  to  relate  the  history 
of  Hannibal's  revelations.  As  she  proceeded  his 
brow  darkened,  and  when  she  had  finished  he  mut- 
tered something  that  sounded  very  much  like  a 
curse. 

"  And  what  do  you  wish  of  me  ?"  he  asked,  when 
she  had  ended. 

"  To  keep  him  from  having  my  father  put  in  prison  ; 
to  give  us  time  to  escape,  if  there  is  no  other  way  ; 
and  to  forgive  the  harm  to  yourself.  I  know,"  she 
added  earnestly,  "  it  is  a  great  deal  to  ask,  but  I  have 
no  one  else  to  go  to.  He  has  paid  every  cent,  and 
you  will  lose  nothing.  Tell  me,  dear  Mr.  Weil,  is 
there  anything  you  can  do?" 

He  had  the  greatest  struggle  of  his  life  to  keep 
from  bending  over  that  trembling  mouth  and  press- 
ing upon  it  the  kiss  he  knew  she  would  not  refuse  ; 
that  mouth  he  had  coveted  so  long  and  which  must 
never  be  touched  by  his  lips  ! 

"Can  I  do  anything?"  he  repeated.  "Certainly, 
lean  stop  that  fellow  so  quickly  he  won't  know  what 
ails  him.  Hare  no  fear,  Mis-  Daisy.  Go  home  and 


"  PLAT    OUT   TOUJB  ¥AJBOB."  $19 

rest  in  peace.  Before  the  sun  sets  I  will  remove  the 
last  particle  of  danger  from  your  father's  path." 

The  girl  sprang  to  her  feet  and  would  have  thrown 
her  arms  around  his  neck  had  he  not  prevented  her. 

"  You  are  certain  you  can  do  this  ?"  she  cried, 
beaming  with  happy  eyes  upon  him. 

"  There  is  not  the  least  question  of  it.  But — I 
must  demand  payment  for  my  trouble.  I  shall  not 
do  this  work  for  nothing." 

With  a  hot  blush  Daisy  lowered  her  eyes  to  the 
carpet. 

"  I  have  already  told  you  what  I  will  do,"  she  said, 
trembling.  "  If  you  accomplish  what  you  say,  have 
no  fear  but  I  shall  keep  my  word." 

There  was  an  element  of  pride  and  truth  in  the  way 
she  spoke  that  struck  the  hearer  strongly.  The  rev- 
erent smile  on  his  face  grew  yet  deeper. 

"  I  am  placed  in  a  peculiar  situation,"  he  said, 
after  a  slight  pause.  "  Your  sister  has,  unintention^ 
ally,  no  doubt,  misrepresented  matters  in  a  way  that 
may  be  embarrassing  for  us  both.  When  I  have  re- 
moved the  troubles  that  stand  in  your  way,  I  will 
talk  this  over  with  you." 

Daisy  looked  up  quickly.     What  could  he  mean  ? 

"I  beg  you  to  explain,"  she  stammered.  "If 
there  has  been  any  mistake  no  time  can  be  better  to 
set  it  right  than  now." 

The  man  toyed  with  the  lace  of  the  window  cur- 
tain. He  had  no  intention  of  evading  his  duty,  and 
yet  he  did  not  find  it  agreeable  as  he  proceeded. 

"  Your  sister  told  me,"  he  said,  finally,  "  that— you 
loved  me.  She  was  wrong.  I  knew  all  the  time  she 


220  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

was  wrong.  You  have  just  offered  to  give  yourself 
to  me  in  marriage  in  exchange  for  the  efforts  that  I 
am  to  make  on  your  father's  behalf.  But  I  would 
not  marry  a  woman  who  did  not  love  me — who  only 
became  mine  from  gratitude.  No,  I  could  not 
accept  you  under  such  circumstances." 

The  young  girl  glanced  at  him  timidly. 

*'  I  wish  you  knew  how  much  I  liked  you,"  she 
said.  "  I  never  knew  a  man  I  respected  more." 

*'  That  is  most  gratifying,"  he  answered,  "  for  I 
hold  your  good  opinion  very  highly.  You  must 
think  I  speak  in  riddles,  for  I  have  said  that  I 
demand  payment  for  my  services,  and  yet  that  I 
would  not  accept  the  greatest  gift  it  is  in  your 
power  to  bestow  upon  me.  Let  me  wait  no  longer 
in  my  explanation.  When  I  have  put  your  father 
out  of  all  danger  from  this  blackmailer — and  I  can 
easily  do  it,  never  fear — you  must  do  justice  to 
Shirley  Roseleaf." 

She  shivered  at  the  name,  as  if  the  east  wind  blew 
upon  her. 

"  He  is  not  a  true  man,"  she  replied,  in  a  whisper. 
"  He  has  forfeited  all  claim  to  my  consideration." 

"  Why  do  you  say  that  ?  I  am  afraid  there  is 
another  misunderstanding  here,  my  child." 

Then  he  drew  out  of  her,  slowly  at  first,  the  revel- 
ations that  Millicent  had  made.  And  he  disposed  of 
the  charges,  one  by  one,  until  there  was  nothing 
left  of  them. 

"Could  you — would  you — only  go  with  me  to  his 
rooms,"  he  added,  "  and  see  him  lying  there,  wan 
and  pale,  disheartened  at  the  present,  hopeless  for 


•'PLAT   OUT  TOUB  FABOE."  221 

the  future,  you  would  change  your  mind.  He  has 
never  in  his  life  loved  but  one  woman,  and  that  one 
is  yourself.  I  will  not  undertake  to  say  why  you 
have  been  told  differently,  though  I  could  guess. 
Shirley  Roseleaf  loves  you,  Miss  Daisy,  and  you  love 
him.  When  I  have  made  good  my  promise,  I  shall 
ask  you  to  come  to  my  friend's  side  and  bring  him 
back  to  health  with  the  sunshine  of  your  presence." 

Daisy  was  more  than  half  convinced,  for  the 
strong  affection  she  had  had  for  the  young  man 
plead  for  him  in  every  drop  of  her  blood. 

"  Is  he  so  very  ill  ?"  she  asked,  dreamily. 

"  He  has  not  left  his  room  for  a  week,"  was  the 
answer.  "  Nothing  his  friends  can  say  will  move 
him.  He  is  in  such  a  state  of  mind  that  he  even  re- 
fuses to  have  me  with  him  ;  me,  until  very  lately, 
his  closest  friend.  But  if  I  tell  him  you  have  re- 
lented, there  is  no  medicine  on  earth  will  have  such 
an  instant  effect." 

The  girl  thought  for  some  moments  without  speak- 
ing. 

"  It  is  my  father  first,  of  course,"  she  said  at  last. 
"But  while  you  are  arranging  matters  concerning 
him,  I  do  not  sec  any  reason  to  keep  me  from  help- 
ing a  sick  boy.  I — yes,  I  will  go  with  you  now." 

He  looked  the  gratitude  he  could  not  speak,  and 
fearful  that  in  her  mercurial  mood  she  might  change 
her  mind,  he  accompanied  her  without  delay  to  the 
street,  and  procured  a  cab,  in  which  they  were 
driven  rapidly  to  Roseleaf's  lodgings.  On  the  way, 
with  that  loved  form  so  near  him,  Archie  Weil  had 


222  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

a  constant  struggle.  She  might  be  his,  if  he  would 
forget  duty. 

And  he  loved  her  !  God,  how  he  loved  her  !  He 
could  marry  her,  and  perhaps  after  a  fashion  make 
her  happy.  The  perspiration  stood  on  his  forehead 
as  he  dwelt  on  the  bliss  that  he  had  resolutely  cast 
aside. 

Roseleaf's  landlady  came  to  the  door  in  person 
and  informed  the  callers  that  her  guest  was  in  about 
the  same  condition  as  he  had  been  for  some  days. 
He  was  not  ill  in  bed,  but  he  did  not  leave  his 
room.  When  she  sent  up  his  meals  he  received  them 
mechanically,  and  they  were  often  untouched  when 
the  domestic  went  for  the  dishes.  He  wrote  several 
hours  a  day,  though  he  was  undoubtedly  feeble. 
Did  he  have  any  visitors  ?  Only  one,  Mr.  Gouger, 
who  was  with  him  at  the  present  moment.  Should 
she  go  up  and  announce  them  ?  Very  well,  if  it  was 
not  necessary.  Mr.  Weil  could  show  the  lady  into 
the  adjoining  room,  which  was  empty,  until  he  had 
announced  her  presence  in  the  house  to  his  friend. 

Archie  whispered  to  Daisy  when  he  left  her  at 
Roseleaf's  door,  that  he  would  come  for  her  as  soon 
as  possible.  He  did  not  enter  the  sick  boy's  cham- 
ber at  once,  for  something  in  the  conversation  that 
came  to  his  ears  arrested  his  steps  at  the  threshold. 
Mr.  Gouger's  voice  was  heard,  and  Archie's  ears 
caught  the  sound  of  his  own  name. 

"You  should  let  me  send  to  Mr.  Weil,"  said  Goug- 
er. "  I  am  sure  he  can  explain  everything.  You 
hav*  written  all  you  ought  for  the  present.  H« 


- 


"PLAT  OUT  TOCB  FABCX."  S2S 

would  take  you  to  ride  and  bring  the  color  to  those 
white  cheeks  of  yours." 

"But  he  cannot  bring  me  the  girl  I  love,"  re- 
sponded Roseleaf,  with  a  profound  sigh.  "  Even  if 
1  have  done  him  injustice,  she  is  lost  to  me  now. 
You  know  appearances  were  against  him.  Why, 
you  agreed  with  me  about  it.  I  don't  want  to  see 
any  one.  I  want  to  go  away  from  here,  and  forget 
my  sorrows  as  best  I  can  in  some  far  distant  place." 

There  was  a  sadness  in  the  tone  that  went  to  the 
listener's  heart.  The  door  was  slightly  ajar  and 
Archie  took  the  liberty  of  looking  into  the  room. 
Roseleaf  lay  stretched  out  in  a  great  chair,  and  Goug- 
er  leaned  over  him,  appearing  for  all  the  world 
like  some  sinister  bird  of  prey.  Mr.  Weil  felt  for 
the  first  time  in  his  life  that  there  was  something  un- 
canny in  the  aspect  of  the  book  reviewer.  He  did 
not  think  he  could  ever  be  close  friends  with  him 
again.  And  what  did  Shirley  mean  by  saying  that 
Lawrence  had  "  agreed  "  with  him  when  he  heard 
such  base  opinions? 

The  critic  was  fingering  with  apparent  satisfaction 
a  pile  of  MSS.  that  lay  on  the  table.  It  had  grown 
vastly  since  Archie  saw  it  the  last  time,  and  must  be 
fifteen  or  twenty  chapters  in  extent  now. 

"  You  must  not  go  away  until  you  have  finished 
this  wonderful  work,"  replied  Gouger,  with  concern. 
"A  few  more  months — a  little  further  experience  in 
life — and  your  reputation  will  be  made  !  Ah,  it  is 
wonderful  !  It  is  magnificent  !  The  world  will  ring 
with  your  praises  before  the  year  is  ended.  Such 
fidelity  to  nature !  Such  perfection  of  detail  !  la 


224  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

all  my  career  I  have  never  seen  anything  to  approach 
it!" 

Shirley  moved  uneasily  in  his  chair. 

"  Do  you  ever  think  at  what  cost  I  have  done  this  ?" 
he  asked.  "I  know  the  pain  of  a  burn  because  I 
have  held  my  hands  in  the  fire.  I  know  the  agony 
of  asphyxiation,  because  I  have  dangled  at  the  end 
of  a  rope.  I  can  write  of  the  miner  buried  beneath 
a  hundred  feet  of  clay,  because  I  have  had  the  load 
fall  on  my  own  head.  To  love  and  find  myself  be- 
loved ;  then  to  see  happiness  snatched  without  ex- 
planation from  my  grasp  ;  to  feel  that  my  best  friend 
has  been  the  one  to  betray  me  !  That  is  what  I 
have  passed  through,  and  from  the  drops  of  misery 
thus  distilled,  I  have  penned  those  lines  you  so  much 
admire.  I  have  written  all  I  can  of  these  horrors. 
I  will  not  begin  again  till  I  have  caught  somewhere 
in  the  great  sky  a  glimpse  of  sunlight  !" 

Mr.  Weil  could  wait  no  longer.  He  pushed  open 
the  door  and  went  to  the  speaker's  side. 

"  The  sunlight  is  awaiting  you,"  he  said,  gazing 
down  upon  the  figure  in  the  armchair.  "You  have 
only  to  raise  your  curtain." 

Mr.  Gouger  sprang  up  in  astonishment  at  the  sud- 
den arrival,  and  perhaps  a  little  in  alarm  also  ;  for 
he  could  not  tell  how  long  the  visitor  had  been 
eavesdropping  at  the  portal.  But  Roseleaf  turned 
his  languid  eyes  toward  his  old  friend,  and  was 
silent. 

"  Shirley,  my  boy,"  pursued  Weil,  with  the  utmost 
earnestness,  "  I  can  prove  to  you  now  that  Daisy 
Fern  loves  you  and  you  alone." 


"PLAT  our  TOUB  I-AXCE."  225 

Roseleaf  did  not  move.  His  lips  optned  and  the 
words  came  stiffly. 

"  You  can  promise  many  things,  he  said,"  "  but  can 
you  fulfill  any  of  them  ?" 

So  cold,  so  unlike  himself  ! 

"  What  will  convince  you  ?"  demanded  Weil. 
"  Shall  I  bring  a  letter  from  her  ?  Or  would  you 
rather  she  came  in  person,  to  tell  you  I  speak  the 
truth  ?" 

The  shadow  of  a  smile,  a  smile  that  was  not  agree- 
able, hovered  around  the  corners  of  the  pale  mouth. 

"  I  shall  write  no  more,"  said  the  lips,  when  they 
opened,  "  until  I  have  seen  her  and  heard  the  reason 
for  my  rejection.  I  will  discover  who  my  enemy  is. 
I  will  unmask  the  man  or  the  woman  that  has  done 
me  this  injury.  Till  then,  I  shall  write  no  more. 
No,  not  one  line." 

Mr.  Gouger  was  nonplussed  by  the  new  turn  in 
i  ffairs.  He  knew  that  Weil  had  some  basis  for  what 
he  said,  that  he  was  not  the  man  to  come  with  pre- 
tence on  his  tongue.  Neither  of  the  other  persons 
in  the  room  paid  the  least  attention  to  him,  any  more 
than  if  he  had  not  been  present.  It  was  like  a  play, 
at  which  Gouger  was  the  only  spectator. 

"  Could  you  bear  it  if  I  brought  her  to  you  to-day,  if 
I  brought  her  here  now  ?"  asked  Archie,  beseechingly. 
"  If  I  jf°  and  get  her,  and  she  comes  with  me,  will 
the  shock  harm  you  ?" 

The  »*onical  smile  deepened  on  the  face  of  the 
younger  inan. 

"  Play  out  your  farce,"  he  said. 

Casting  one  look  of  apprehension  at  Roseleaf,  Mr. 


126  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

Weil  turned  toward  the  door  that  entered  the  hall- 
way. Before  he  could  reach  it,  a  female  form  came 
into  the  room  and  caught  his  arm.  Together  they 
faced  the  recumbent  figure  in  the  chair.  This  lasted 
but  a  moment.  Then  Daisy  broke  from  her  escort 
and  threw  herself  at  her  lover's  feet. 

"  Come,"   whispered  Archie,  to    the  critic.     "  Let 
us  leave  them  alone." 


CHAPTER   XX. 

LIKE     A     STUCK     PI«. 

Hannibal  was  neither  better  nor  worse,  morally, 
because  his  color  was  black.  There  are  men  with 
white  complexions  who  would  have  done  exactly  as 
he  did.  There  are  others  as  dark  as  Erebus  who 
would  have  done  nothing  of  the  sort. 

He  was  no  ordinary  negro.  His  intelligence  was 
above  the  average.  When  he  first  entered  the  employ 
of  Mr.  Fern,  that  gentleman  took  every  pains  to  en- 
courage the  aptitude  for  learning  that  he  found  in 
him.  Hannibal  accompanied  his  employer  to  his 
office,  where  he  was  entrusted  with  important  com- 
missions, which  he  seemed  for  a  long  time  to  execute 
with  faithfulness  and  discrimination.  At  home  he 
performed  his  duties  in  a  way  that  gave  great  satis- 
faction. At  the  end  of  the  first  six  months  Mr.  Fern 
would  have  hated  to  part  with  a  servant  that  he 
believed  difficult  to  replace. 


LIKE    A   STUCK   PIS.  22T 

But  the  great  source  of  trouble  arose  gradually. 
Hannibal  began  to  entertain  a  sentiment  for  his  mas- 
ter's younger  daughter  that  was  impossible  of  frui- 
tion. Daisy  treated  him  in  the  most  considerate 
manner,  never  dreaming  what  was  going  on  behind 
his  serious  brow.  Millicent,  ungovernable  in  all 
things,  began  early  to  show  the  bitterest  enmity 
toward  the  negro,  while  her  sister,  seeing  that  her 
father  liked  and  appreciated  him,  tried  by  her  own 
kindness  to  compensate  for  the  other's  rudeness. 
What  caused  Millicent's  feelings  Daisy  had  no  means 
of  knowing,  and  she  had  not  the  least  suspicion  until 
she  heard  the  conversation  in  the  library  the  night 
the  house  was  entered.  Even  then  she  did  not  take 
the  subject  much  to  heart,  for  she  did  not  compre- 
hend all  that  Hannibal  had  meant  to  convey  in  the 
brief  and  sarcastic  expression  he  used.  Daisy  had  a 
mind  too  pure  to  believe  anything  so  heinous  of  her 
own  sister  as  Hannibal  had  intimated. 

The  passion  of  love  is  a  thing  that  grows  in  curi- 
ous ways.  What  made  it  seem  to  Hannibal  that 
there  was  hope  for  him  was  the  discovery  that  Mr. 
Fern  was  committing  forgeries  and  that  the  proofs 
might  be  his  for  the  taking.  If  he  could  hold  such 
a  power  as  that  over  this  gentleman,  who  could  say 
that  even  so  great  a  m6salliance  as  his  daughter's 
marriage  to  an  African  might  not  be  arranged  ? 

The  negro  proceeded  cautiously.  He  secured  the 
proofs  he  wished,  and  let  Mr.  Fern  know  tacitly  that 
he  had  them.  The  terror,  the  undisguised  fear  that 
followed,  the  admittance  of  the  menial  to  a  totally 
different  position  in  th«  household  and  the  office, 


323  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

showed  that  the  servant  had  not  underrated  the  im- 
portance of  his  acquisition. 

Not  one  word  bearing  directly  on  the  subject 
passed  between  them.  The  condition  of  the  mer- 
chant was  more  horrible  than  it  would  have  been 
had  his  employ^  said  outright,  "  I  have  the  proof 
that  you  are  a  forger — I  can  send  you  to  prison  for 
twenty  years,  and  I  will  do  so  unless  you  do  so-and- 
so  for  me."  He  did  not  know  how  Hannibal  meant 
to  use  his  information.  He  was  afraid  to  broach  the 
matter  to  him.  He  could  only  wait  and  suffer  ;  and 
suffer  he  did,  as  a  proud-spirited,  high-minded  man 
who  has  made  an  error  must  suffer,  when  such  a 
sword  hangs  over  his  head,  ready  at  any  moment  to 
fall. 

As  Walker  Boggs  had  said,  Mr.  Fern  was  not  by 
nature  a  business  man.  After  the  former's  retire- 
ment from  active  participation  in  the  concern  there 
was  a  series  of  losses.  When  Mr.  Fern  took  his  pen 
and  began  to  imitate  the  signature  of  his  late  part- 
ner on  a  sheet  of  paper,  nothing  but  some  such 
course  stood  between  him  and  bankruptcy.  He  felt 
certain  that  if  he  could  tide  over  twenty-four  houri 
he  would  be  saved.  , Before  he  1'eft  his  office  he  had 
made  a  note,  written  Mr.  Boggs  name  across  the 
back  of  it,  and  raised  money  thereon. 

He  did  this  many  times  afterwards,  but  finally, 
when  he  again  wanted  a  name  to  save  himself  with,  he 
dared  not  use  this  one.  Boggs  had  called  in  to  remark 
that  he  should  withdraw  the  capital  he  had  lent  as 
soon  as  the  term  arranged  for  had  expired.  The 
sum  was  already  infringed  upon,  bad  the  investor 


LIKE    A   STUCK   FIG. 

known  it.  The  next  name  used  was  that  of  Archie 
Weil.  Archie  had  been  to  the  house  a  good  deal  to 
see  Millicent.  Mr.  Fern  believed  there  was  a  love 
affair  between  them,  and  he  caught  at  the  straw  of 
possible  protection  in  case  of  discovery.  The  for- 
geries became  numerous,  and  the  total  amount  or. 
that  day  when  the  passage  of  a  new  tariff  saved  the 
venturesome  speculator,  was  very  large.  Hannibal 
was  at  this  time  in  foreign  parts,  or  at  least  so  the 
merchant  supposed.  He  soothed  his  conscience  with 
the  reflection  that  this  additional  wrong  act  would 
enable  him  to  right  the  others  that  preceded  it.  And 
things  might  have  gone  well  had  not  the  negro  re- 
turned, consumed  with  the  love  he  bore  the  younger 
daughter,  and  had  not  his  love  turned  to  vinegar  by 
her  contemptuous  rejection  of  his  advances. 

An  hour  after  Daisy  left  him,  Hannibal  had  made 
up  his  mind  to  be  revenged.  He  had  faltered  a  little 
in  the  meantime,  asking  himself  what  good  it  would 
do  to  bring  disgrace  on  the  head  of  this  poor  old 
man,  but  his  injuries  were  too  strong  for  mercy. 
He  was  despised  by  them  all  ;  he  would  show  them 
that,  black  as  he  was,  his  ability  to  hurt  was  no  less 
strong  than  theirs.  Roseleaf  had  made  the  first  im- 
pression on  that  young  heart  he  himself  had  craved. 
It  remained  to  be  seen  whether  he  would  wed  the 
daughter  of  a  convict.  There  would  be  something 
pleasant,  too,  in  disgracing  Millicent,  who  had  once 
placed  herself  in  a  position  where  he  could  have 
blasted  her  reputation  forever,  and  had  afterwards 
dared  to  treat  him  as  if  he  were  the  dirt  beneath  her 
shoes.  Yes.  Hannibal  decided,  he  would  go  tv  Mr. 


MO  A  iu»tny  AOOHUL 

Weil  and  Mr.  Boggs,  and  show  them  the  way  this 
man  had  used  their  names,  hawking  them  in  the 
public  market  without  their  knowledge. 

When  Hannibal  reached  the  Hoffman  House  and 
inquired  for  Mr.  Weil,  he  was  told  that  he  was 
absent.  An  hour  later  he  received  the  same  answer. 
A  visit  to  the  residence  of  Mr.  Boggs  elicited  a 
reply  precisely  similar.  In  fact,  the  day  wore  away 
and  evening  arrived  before  he  found  them. 

In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Weil  had  not  been  idle. 
While  Daisy  and  Shirley  Roseleaf  were  tearfully  ex- 
changing their  explanations,  he  sent  a  messenger  to 
Mr.  Boggs,  asking  that  gentleman  to  come  to  him 
without  delay.  An  hour  later  the  messenger  arrived 
with  the  gentleman,  and  having  engaged  a  room  for 
temporary  use,  and  seen  to  it  that  Roseleaf  wanted 
nothing  at  present  but  his  fair  nurse,  Archie  pulled 
Boggs  in  and  locked  the  door  securely. 

"  What's  all  this  ?"  exclaimed  Boggs.  "  You  look 
and  act  as  if  there  was  the  devil  to  pay." 

M  There  is,"  was  the  short  answer.  "  I  want  you 
to  do  one  of  the  most  creditable  acts  of  your  life.  I 
want  it  as  a  personal  favor,  and  I'm  going  to  have  it, 
too." 

Mr.  Boggs  crossed  his  hands  o\*r  his  paunch  and 
waited  for  further  information. 

"  Are  you  a  first-class  liar  ?"  was  Mr.  Weil's  next 
question.  "  Could  you,  in  an  emergency,  do  your- 
self justice  as  an  eminent  prevaricator?  Are  you 
able,  for  a  certain  time,  to  banish  truth  from  your 
vicinity  ?" 

Mr.  Boggs  remarked,  in  response  to  these  astonish- 


ma  A  •TOOK  PTO.  881 

ing  suggestions,  that  he  could  tell  much  better  what 
his  friend  was  about  if  he  would  drop  metaphor. 

Mr.  Weil  hesitated.  He  saw  no  way  but  to  trust 
this  man  with  the  facts,  and  yet  he  dreaded  the  pos- 
sibility that  he  might  prove  obstinate. 

"  By-the-way,"  lie  said,  as  if  to  change  the  subject 
temporarily,  "  have  you  been  out  to  see  Fern 
lately  ?" 

Mr.  Boggs  shook  his  head. 

"  You  ought  to,"  said  Weil.  "  He's  improved  g 
thousand  per  cent,  in  the  last  few  weeks.  His  finan- 
cial luck  has  made  a  new  man  of  him." 

"  I'm  glad  of  that,"  responded  the  other.  "  And 
I'm  glad  too  that  I've  got  my  money  out  of  his  firm^ 
for  I  had  a  strong  suspicion  at  one  time  that  he  waa 
running  pretty  close  to  the  wall." 

Mr.  Weil  nodded  to  show  that  he  believed  this 
statement,  and  then  grew  sober. 

"Sometimes,  when  men  get  into  a  tight  place 
financially,"  he  said,  "they  do  queer  things.  Sup- 
posing I  should  tell  you  that  Mr.  Fern  had  endorsed 
checks  and  notes  in  a  way  he  was  not  authorized 
to  do  ?" 

The  stout  man  opened  his  eyes  wider. 

"That  would  be  a  piece  of  news,"  he  answered. 
"  But,  if  he  did,  he's  made  it  all  right  by  this  time,  of 
course,  and  nobody  is  the  loser." 

Mr.  Weil  drew  himself  up  in  his  chair,  as  if  right- 
eously indignant. 

"  Do  you  think  that  is  enough  ?"  he  demanded, 
raising  his  voice.  "  By  Gad,  supposing  I  tell  you  my 
name  was  one  of  those  he  monkeyed  with  !" 


232  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

The  other  did  not  seem  much  perturbed. 

"  If  the  paper  is  all  in,  I  wouldn't  make  a  fuss 
about  it,  if  I  were  you,"  he  replied.  "  Fern  is  a  good 
fellow.  He  has  gone  out  of  business,  and  I  hope 
he'll  never  go  in  again.  Take  my  advice,  if  you  have 
learned  anything  to  his  discredit,  and  keep  it  to  your- 
self." 

Weil  could  hardly  control  himself. 

"  Do  you  think  I  intend  to  let  him  forge  my  name 
on  his  notes  and  checks  and  not  put  him  under 
arrest  !"  he  cried  ;  "  when  the  proofs  are  beyond 
question  ?" 

Mr.  Boggs  bowed  and  said  he  meant  that,  exactly. 
He  further  remarked  that  he  was  astonished  that  his 
friend  had  any  other  idea  in  his  mind.  The  Fern 
family  was  one  in  which  he  had  been  favorably 
received  and  he  ought  to  do  everything  possible  to 
prevent  harm  to  any  of  its  members.  As  he  pro- 
ceeded in  this  vein,  Mr.  Boggs  grew  so  earnest  that 
he  did  not  notice  the  broad  smile  of  happiness  that 
was  creeping  over  the  face  of  his  companion,  and  was 
not  prepared  to  find  a  pair  of  manly  arms  clasped 
around  his  neck. 

"You — you  !"  Archie  Weil  was  trying  to  say. 
"  You  dear,  kind,  sensible  fellow.  You've  made  me 
the  happiest  man  on  earth  !  Of  course  /  wouldn't 
trouble  Fern,  but  I  was  afraid  you  would.  He  used 
your  name  as  well  as  mine,  the  rascal  !  Everything 
is  paid  up,  and  all  the  trouble  now  is  that  a  misera- 
ble scamp  has  got  hold  of  some  of  the  paper  and 
wants  to  blackmail  him.  And  what  I  called  you  here 
to-day  for  is  to  get  you  to  agree — with  me— to 


LIKE  A   STUCK  PIG.  23S 

acknowledge  every  scrap  of  that  paper  as  being  our 
own  !" 

The  sudden  change  was  more  than  Mr.  Boggs 
could  bear  for  a  moment.  He  sat,  to  use  a  common 
expression,  "  like  a  stuck  pig,"  staring  at  Archie. 

"  You  remember  the  nigger  that  worked  for  Fern," 
explained  Mr.  Weil.  "  He  got  hold  of  some  of 
these  notes  and  checks,  in  Fern's  office,  and  is 
coming  to  look  us  up  to-day,  for  the  purpose  of  hav- 
ing his  employer  arrested.  A  nice  game,  eh  ?  But 
we  will  foil  him,  won't  we  ?  We'll  show  him  a  trick 
worth  several  of  his  !  He's  probably  gone  to  the 
Hoffman  House  and  he'll  hang  round  till  he  finds 
me.  I'll  send  word  that  I  am  to  be  home  this  after- 
noon at  five.  You  will  be  there  with  me.  We'll 
tackle  him  together.  When  he  tells  us  that  he  has 
some  forged  paper  in  his  possession  we'll  act  aston- 
ished and  enraged  ;  we'll  ask  him  to  show  it  to  us  ; 
and  when  we've  got  it  all  in  our  hands  we'll  say  the 
signatures  are  our  own,  and  kick  him  down  stairs. 
Are  you  with  me,  Walker  ?  Is  it  a  go,  old  boy  ?" 

The  agreement  was  made  without  more  ado.  Mr. 
Boggs  began  to  see  the  humorous  element  in  the 
affair,  and  actually  came  nearer  laughing  than  he 
had  done  since  the  day  he  discovered  that  the  sire 
of  his  waist  placed  him  out  of  the  list  of  eligible 
"  mashers." 

When  everything  was  settled,  Mr  Weil  excused 
himself  for  a  few  moments,  while  he  tiptoed  to  Rose- 
leaf's  door  and  knocked.  Daisy  came  to  open  it, 
and  when  she  saw  who  the  visitor  was  she  blushed 
charmingly. 


234  A  BLACK    ADONIS. 

"  Come  in,"  she  said.  "  I  am  sure  both  of  us  are 
glad  to  see  you." 

Shirley's  eyes  met  those  of  his  friend  with  a 
strange  expression.  He  knew  now  that  all  his  sus- 
picions were  unfounded,  that  Weil  had  proved  him- 
self noble  and  true.  But  the  apologies  that  he  owed 
could  not  be  suitably  made  in  the  presence  of  a  third 
person,  and  he  made  no  reference  to  them.  His 
changed  appearance  was  enough,  however,  for 
Archie.  The  reconciliation  with  the  girl  of  his 
heart  was  perfect,  and  the  happiness  that  shone  from 
their  faces  repaid  their  good  friend  for  his  sacri- 
fice. 

"  I  think  I  ought  to  take  Miss  Daisy  to  her  train 
now,"  said  Archie,  after  the  exchange  of  a  few  ordi- 
nary remarks.  "  She  can  come  to  see  you  to-mor- 
row again,  and  before  many  days  we  will  have  mat- 
ters arranged  with  pater  familias,  so  that  Shirley 
can  go  out  to  Midlands  in  his  proper  capacity.  Oh, 
you  need  not  redden,  little  woman  !  The  love  you 
two  have  for  each  other  does  both  of  you  credit." 

Returning  to  Mr.  Boggs,  for  the  sake  of  allowing 
the  young  couple  a  few  minutes  for  their  good-bys, 
Archie  dismissed  that  gentleman  with  the  under- 
standing that  not  later  than  half-past  four  he  would 
join  him  in  his  room  at  the  Hoffman  House.  Soon 
after  he  escorted  Miss  Fern  to  her  station,  and  be- 
fore he  left  the  building  Archie  sent  a  dispatch  to 
her  father,  asking  him  to  come  to  the  city  and  meet 
him  at  his  hotel  at  four  that  afternoon. 

Everything  worked  to  a  charm.  Mr.  Fern  ar» 
rired  «t  the  time  designated  and  went  promptly  to 


LIKE   A    STOCK   PIG.  £86 

Mr.  Weil's  apartments.  A  brief  explanation  of 
what  was  about  to  occur  threw  the  wool  merchant 
into  a  state  of  extreme  agitation,  but  he  was  assured 
that  the  last  particle  of  danger  to  himself  would  be 
removed  before  he  left  the  Hoffman  House.  He  was 
asked  to  step  into  an  inner  room  of  the  suite,  the 
door  of  which  was  to  be  left  ajar,  and  to  make  no 
move  unless  he  was  called. 

Mr.  Boggs  came  at  his  appointed  hour,  and  Han- 
nibal soon  after.  Delighted  to  find  both  gentlemen 
— accidentally,  as  he  supposed — the  negro  began 
without  delay  to  explain  the  cause  of  his  visit.  He 
stated  the  manner  in  which  he  had  discovered  the 
forgeries,  and  said  he  thought  it  only  his  duty  to  let 
the  facts  be  known. 

Messrs.  Weil  and  Boggs  exchanged  glances  of  well- 
simulated  surprise  as  the  discoverer  proceeded. 

"  How  long  is  it  since  you  first  knew  of  this  mat- 
ter ?"  asked  Mr.  Weil,  when  Hannibal  came  to  a 
pause. 

"  Something  like  eighteen  months." 

"  And  you  allowed  this  swindle  to  go  on  all  that 
time  without  saying  a  word  !"  said  the  questioner. 
"  I  am  surprised,  when  I  remember  that  for  a  long 
time  you  saw  me  almost  daily." 

"  That  is  true,"  was  the  quiet  response.  "  I  could 
not  easily  bring  myself  to  disgrace  one  whose  bread 
I  was  eating.  But  that  does  not  matter  now.  I 
have  here  a  number  of  notes  on  which  Mr.  Fern  has 
forged  both  of  your  names.  The  law  will  hold  him 
just  as  strongly  as  if  I  had  exposed  him  at  the  time." 

He  exhibited  a  package  of  papers,  and  unsuspici- 


236  A    BLACK    ADONIS. 

ously  passed  them  to  the  two  gentlemen.  Undoing 
the  band  Archie  Weil  spread  the  documents  on  the 
centre  table  and  went  over  them  carefully  with  Mr. 
Boggs,  separating  those  which  bore  their  several 
names.  A  close  perusal  of  all  the  notes  followed, 
and  finally  Mr.  Weil  looked  up  and  asked  if  there 
were  any  more. 

"  No,  those  are  all,"  said  Hannibal.  "  I  believe 
there  are  thirty-six  of  them." 

Mr.  Weil  consulted  in  a  low  tone  with  Mr.  Boggs. 
They  seemed  puzzled  over  something. 

"  If  these  are  really  all  the  notes  you  have,"  said 
Archie,  "  there  has  been  a  great  mistake  on  your 
part.  These  endorsements  are  genuine  in  every 
case.  Where  are  the  forged  papers  of  which  you 
spoke  ?" 

The  negro  stared  with  all  his  might  at  the  speaker. 

"  Genuine  !"  he  repeated. 

"  Undoubtedly,  as  far  as  my  name  is  concerned.  I 
have  lent  my  credit  to  Mr.  Fern  for  a  long  time." 

"  That  is  equally  true  of  myself,"  spoke  up  Boggs, 
slowly.  "  I  wrote  every  one  of  these  signatures  and 
I  am  willing  to  swear  to  them." 

Hannibal's  eyes  flashed  with  baffled  rage.  He 
had  been  trapped.  These  men  had  conspired  to 
save  his  late  employer  from  his  clutches.  They  had 
lied,  deliberately,  and  he  was  powerless  against  their 
combined  assertions,  although  he  knew  the  falsity  of 
all  they  said. 

"  You  will  be  as  glad  as  we  to  learn  the  truth," 
said  Archie,  in  a  softly  modulated  voice.  "  It  would 
have  grieved  you  to  know  that  your  kind  employer 


LIKE   A  STUCK   PIG.  237 

had  made  himself  amenable  to  the  criminal  law. 
Your  only  object  in  this  matter  was  to  ease  your  con- 
science, and  do  justice.  There  is  nothing,  now,  to 
prevent  your  returning  at  your  earliest  convenience 
to  France." 

The  negro  rose  and  took  up  his  hat. 

"This  is  Tery  nice,"  he  growled,  "but  I  want  to 
tell  you  that  you  are  not  through  with  me  yet." 

Mr.  Weil  rose  also. 

"  I  trust,"  he  said,  "that  you  are  not  going  to  be 
impolite.  I  certainly  would  not  be  guilty  of  discourt- 
esy to  you.  But  let  me  assure  you  of  one  thing  : 
If  you  ever,  hereafter,  annoy  in  the  slightest  degree 
my  friend,  Mr.  Fern,  or  any  member  of  his  family, 
you  will  wish  heartily  that  you  had  never  been  born. 
We  can  spare  you  now,  Mr.  Hannibal." 

With  the  last  words,  Archie  waved  his  hand  to- 
ward the  door,  and  without  further  reply  than  a 
glare  from  his  now  blood-shot  eyes,  the  African 
strode  from  the  apartment. 

"  I  want  you  to  take  a  ride  in  the  Park  with  me, 
for  an  hour  or  go,  and  then  we  will  return  here  for 
dinner,"  said  Mr.  Weil  to  Mr.  Boggs. 

He  did  this  to  allow  Mr.  Pern  to  leave  the  house 
without  Boggs'  knowing  he  was  there,  and  also  to 
avoid  a  meeting  that  he  felt  would  be  too  full  of 
gratitude  to  suit  his  temperament  just  then. 


986  A   BLACK    AIM9NIS. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

*  WK     WANT    MILLIE    TO    UNDERSTAND." 

Millicent  Fern  had  been  so  busy  on  her  second 
novel  that  she  had  hardly  noticed  the  prolonged 
absence  of  Shirley  Roseleaf  from  her  father's  house. 
Her  first  story  was  selling  fairly  well  and  she  had 
received  a  goodly  number  of  reviews  in  which  it  was 
alluded  to  with  more  or  less  favor.  Not  the  least 
welcome  of  the  things  her  mail  brought  was  a  check 
bearing  the  autograph  of  Cutt  &  Slashem,  that 
tangible  evidence  which  all  authors  admire  that 
her  efforts  had  not  been  wholly  in  vain.  She  had 
put  a  great  deal  of  hard  work  into  her  new  novel, 
and  felt  that,  when  Mr.  Roseleaf  added  his  polish  to 
the  plot  she  had  woven,  it  would  make  a  success  far 
greater  than  the  other. 

Millicent  thought  she  understood  the  young  man 
perfectly.  To  her  mind  he  was  merely  awaiting  the 
moment  when  she  was  ready  to  name  the  day  for 
their  marriage.  To  be  sure  he  had  not  asked  her  to 
wed  him,  but  his  actions  were  not  to  be  misunder- 
stood. She  would  accept  him,  for  business  reasons, 
and  the  romance  could  come  later.  Together  they 
would  constitute  a  strong  partnership  in  fiction. 
While  she  was  wrapped  up  in  her  writing  it  was 
quite  as  well  that  he  remained  at  a  respectful  dis- 
tance. Between  her  second  and  her  third  story  she 
would  have  time  to  arrange  the  ceremony. 


*WB  WANT  MILLIE  TO   TmrrBBSTAKD.'*          239 

When  Roseleaf  made  his  next  appearance  at  din- 
ner, in  the  house  at  Midlands,  Miss  Fern  smiled  on 
him  pleasantly.  She  remarked  that  he  lacked  color, 
and  he  replied  that  he  had  been  suffering  from  a 
slight  illness.  Then  she  spoke  of  her  new  story,  re- 
vealing the  plot  to  a  limited  extent,  and  said  it  would 
be  ready  for  him  in  about  two  weeks.  The  as- 
tonished young  man  saw  that  she  considered  his  ser- 
vices entirely  at  her  disposal,  without  question, 
whenever  she  saw  fit  to  call  upon  them.  He  talked 
it  over  with  Daisy. 

"  You  know,"  stammered  the  girl,  "  that  Millie 
thought  you  were  in  love  with  her.  That  would  ac- 
count for  everything,  wouldn't  it  ?" 

"  But  where  did  she  ever  get  that  idea  !"  he  ex- 
claimed, desperately. 

"  She  says  you  tried  to  put  your  arm  around 
her." 

"Just  to  practice.  Just  to  learn  what  love  was 
like.  I  told  you  how  ignorant  I  was,  the  same  as  1 
did  her.  Archie  said  she  would  show  me,  but  it 
didn't  amount  to  anything.  It  was  only  when  I 
asked  you,  Daisy,  that  I  began  to  understand.  Do 
you  remember  how  you  stood  on  your  toes  and  kissed 
me  ?" 

The  girl  bade  him  be  quiet  and  not  get  too  reminis- 
cent, but  he  would  not. 

"  It  taught  me  all  I  needed  to  know,  in  one  in- 
stant," he  persisted.  "Ah,  sweetheart,  how  much 
happiness  and  suffering  I  have  had  on  your  ac- 
count !" 

He  stooped  and  kissed  her  tenderly  as  he  spoke. 


24:0  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

"And  after  this  it  will  be  happiness  only/'  she 
whispered. 

Another  kiss  answered  this  prediction. 

"  What  can  I  do  if  she  asks  me  to  rewrite  the  whole 
of  another  novel  ?"  asked  Roseleaf,  with  a  groan. 

"  I  think  you  might  find  time  to  oblige  her,"  said 
Daisy.  "  But  you  ought  to  explain  things — you 
ought  not  to  let  her  misunderstand  your  position 
any  longer." 

He  said  that  this  was  true,  and  that  he  would  act 
upon  the  suggestion.  He  had  her  father's  consent, 
and  nothing  could  stand  in  the  way  of  his  marriage 
to  Daisy  before  the  year  ended.  It  was  not  right, 
of  course,  to  go  on  with  the  implication  of  being  en- 
gaged to  both  the  sisters. 

"  But  I  wish  I  could  escape  doing  that  writing," 
he  added.  "  I  hate  fiction,  any  way  ;  I  have  been  at 
work  on  one  of  my  own  that  I  fear  I  never  shall 
finish.  There  is  much  sadness  in  novels,  and  I 
like  joy  so  much  better.  I  believe  I  shall  abandon 
the  whole  field." 

This  she  would  not  listen  to.  She  said  her  hus- 
band that  was  to  be  must  become  a  famous  writer,  for 
she  wanted  to  be  very  proud  of  him.  And  Mr.  Fern 
came  in  to  the  room,  and  having  the  question  put  to 
him,  decided  it  in  the  same  manner,  as  he  was  sure 
to  do  when  he  learned  that  his  younger  daughter 
held  that  opinion. 

The  retired  merchant  bore  the  appearance  of  a 
man  from  whose  shoulders  the  severe  burden  of  a 
great  weight  had  fallen.  The  tiger  that  had  crouched 
so  long  in  his  path,  ready  at  any  moment  to  spring, 


had  been  vanquished.  Beyond  the  profound  humil- 
iation of  knowing  that  his  sin  was  exposed  to  the 
gaze  of  two  of  his  intimate  friends,  he  had  no  cause 
for  present  grief.  Both  of  them  had  proved  friends 
indeed,  and  nothing  was  to  be  feared  from  any  quar- 
ter. Hannibal  had  disappeared  immediately  after 
the  interview  at  the  Hoffman  House,  and  it  was  sup- 
posed had  gone  back  to  France. 

There  was  to  be  no  hi»ste  about  the  wedding,  after 
all.  Now  that  the  young  couple  felt  perfectly  sure 
of  each  other  they  were  more  willing  than  they  had 
been  to  wait.  The  freedom  that  an  understood  en- 
gagement brings  to  Americans  was  theirs.  If  Mil- 
licent  had  only  known  the  true  condition  of  affairs, 
and  was  content  with  them,  they  would  have  been 
perfectly  satisfied. 

An  old  story  tells  how  a  certain  colony  of  mice 
came  to  the  unanimous  conclusion  that  a  bell  should 
be  hung  around  the  neck  of  a  cat  for  which  they  had 
a  well-defined  fear  ;  and  it  also  relates  that  none  of 
the  rodents  were  willing  to  undertake  the  task  of 
placing  the  warning  signal  in  the  desired  position. 
Botli  Shirley  and  Daisy  wished  heartily  that  Millicent 
could  be  told  the  exact  condition  of  their  hopes  and 
expectations,  but  neither  had  the  courage  to  inform 
her.  Many  of  their  long  conversations  referred  to 
this  matter,  and  one  day,  when  they  had  discussed  it 
as  usual,  Daisy  hit  upon  a  bright  idea. 

"You  don't  suppose,  do  you,  that  Mr.  Weil  would, 
tell  Millie  for  us  ?  He  has  done  so  many  nice  things, 
he  might  do  one  more." 

Roseleaf  wore   a  thoughtful  expression.     He  re- 


242  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

alized  how  much  Archie  had  already  done  for  him 
— realized  it  more  fully  than  Daisy  did  ;  but  he  said 
the  matter  was  worth  thinking  of.  He  wanted  very 
much  to  have  it  settled. 

"  Would — would  you — ask  him  ?"  he  stammered. 
"  He  would  do  anything  for  you." 

"  Yes,"  she  responded,  softly,  "  I  will  ask  him. 
But  we  had  best  be  together.  I  do  not  want  to 
broach  the  matter  unless  you  are  there." 

In  a  few  days  the  opportunity  came.  Mr.  Weil 
heard  the  voice  he  loved  best  explaining  the  situa- 
tion. 

"  We  want  Millie  to  understand,"  said  Daisy.  "  If 
she — if  she  still  likes  Shirley  herself,  there  may  be  an 
unpleasant  scene,  and  you  will  see  how  difficult  it  is 
for  either  of  us  to  tell  her.  But  you,  who  have  done 
so  many  kindnesses  for  us,  could  convey  the  infor- 
mation to  her  without  the  diffidence  we  should  feel. 
Will  you,  dear  Mr.  Weil  ?" 

And  Archie  said  he  would,  and  that  it  would  be  a 
pleasure  to  him.  And  a  bright  light  illumined  the 
faces  of  the  young  people,  as  another  stone  was 
rolled  out  of  the  pathway  their  feet  were  to  tread. 

Mr.  Weil  did  not  know  how  to  approach  his  sub- 
ject except  by  a  more  or  less  direct  route.  One  day 
he  was  talking  with  Miss  Fern  about  her  new  novel, 
and  she  spoke  of  Mr.  Roseleaf  in  connection  with  its 
nearness  to  the  required  revision. 

"I  don't  know  as  Shirley  will  find  time  to  help  you 
out,"  he  replied.  "  He  is  so  busy  just  now  with  Miss 
Daisy." 

She  did  not  seem  to  comprehend  him  in  the  least. 

"Oh,  he  is  merely  filling  in  the  time,  as  a  matter 


M  WE   WANT   MILLIE   TO   UNDERSTAND."  24rtf 

of  amusement,"  she  answered.  "  When  I  am  ready 
he  will  be." 

He  looked  at  her  earnestly. 

11  Is  it  fair  to  speak  of  love-making  as  a  matter  of 
amusement,  Miss  Fern?" 

"Love-making?  Is  he,  then,  practicing  for  his 
novel  with  Daisy,  also  ?"  she  inquired.  "  I  am  afraid 
he  will  get  erroneous  views  of  love  in  that  quarter. 
She  is  such  a  child  that  she  can  have  little  knowledge 
of  the  subject." 

She  had  evidently  no  suspicion  of  the  truth,  and  he 
determined  to  become  more  explicit. 

"  Perhaps  that  is  exactly  what  he  wishes,"  said  he. 
41  The  virgin  heart  of  a  young  girl  certainly  affords 
tempting  ground  for  the  explorations  of  a  novelist." 

For  the  first  time  she  showed  a  slightly  startled 
face. 

"  I  trust  you  do  not  mean  that  Mr.  Roseleaf  is  de- 
ceiving my  sister  with  pretended  affection  ?"  she 
said.  "I  did  not  think  him  that  kind  of  man.  If 
he  is  making  love  to  her,  as  you  call  it,  surely  she 
understands  that  it  is  only  for  the  purposes  of  his 
forthcoming  novel  ?" 

Mr.  Weil  drew  a  long  breath. 

"  Is  it  possible,"  he  asked,  "  that  you  do  not  know 
him  better  than  even  to  hint  that  suspicion  ?  Shirley 
Roseleaf  is  honor  personified.  He  would  not  lead 
any  woman  to  believe  him  her  lover  unless  he  truly 
felt  the  sentiments  he  expressed." 

Miss  Fern  looked  much  relieved. 

"  J  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,"  she  replied 


244  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

Archie  was  plunged  into  a  new  quandary.  He 
had  evidently  made  no  progress  whatever  thus  far. 

"  No,"  he  continued,  slowly,  "  he  has  not  deceived 
Miss  Daisy.  His  love  for  her  is  as  true  as  steel.  I 
understand  their  engagement  is  to  be  announced  in 
a  few  days." 

If  he  had  known  the  pain  that  these  words  would 
bring  to  their  hearer — if  he  had  foreseen  the  anguish 
that  was  portrayed  on  that  brow  and  in  those  eyes — 
friend  as  he  was  of  the  young  couple  who  had  set 
him  to  this  errand,  he  would  have  shrunk  from  it. 
Millicent  made  no  verbal  reply.  Spasms  chased 
each  other  over  her  white  face.  She  seemed  stricken 
dumb.  Her  hands,  lifted  to  her  forehead,  trembled 
visibly.  And  Mr.  Weil  sat  there,  uncertain  what  to 
do,  as  silent  as  herself. 

Gradually  the  force  of  the  storm  passed,  and  Miss 
Fern  staggered  faintly  to  her  feet.  Mr.  Weil  offered 
to  support  her  with  his  arms,  but  she  refused  his  aid 
with  a  motion  that  was  unmistakable.  She  was  mak- 
ing every  effort  to  conceal  her  agitation,  and  she 
dared  not  trust  herself  with  words.  After  taking  a 
weak  step  or  two,  and  finding  that  she  could  not  walk 
unassisted,  she  rested  herself  upon  the  arm  of  a  large 
chair,  and  signed  to  him  to  leave  her.  Much  morti- 
fied, but  knowing  no  other  course,  he  bowed  pro- 
foundly and  obeyed  the  signal. 

The  next  morning  he  received  the  following  letter 
at  his  hotel  : 

"  MR.  A.  WEIL: — SIR:  If  you  are  in  any  respect  a  gentle- 
man— which  I  may  be  excused  for  doubting — you  will  not 


"WB  \TANT   MILLIE   TO    UNDERSTAND."  945 

allude  in  the  presence  of  any  one  to  the  exhibition  I  made 
to-day.  Had  I  had  the  least  preparation  I  could  have  con- 
trolled myself.  You  adroitly  took  me  at  a  complete  dis- 
advantage, and  you  saw  the  result. 

"  I  leave  to-morrow  for  a  new  home.  Never  again  shall  I 
live  under  the  roof  of  those  who  have  betrayed  me.  Do  not 
think  I  shall  succumb  to  grief  because  of  my  sister's  con- 
duct. She  is  welcome  to  her  victory.  No  answer  to  this 
is  expected.  Yours,  M.  A.  F." 

Luckily  Archie  had  escaped  from  Midlands  with- 
out meeting  either  Daisy  or  Roseleaf,  and  he  obeyed 
as  strictly  as  possible  the  injunction  he  received  from 
the  elder  sister.  All  he  would  say  was  that  he  had 
informed  her  of  the  engagement  and  that  she  had 
made  no  reply.  When  he  was  told  a  day  or  two 
later  that  Millicent  had  left  the  house,  he  merely  re- 
marked that  he  was  not  much  surprised,  as  she  was 
a  girl  of  strong  will  and  usually  did  about  as  she 
pleased. 

Mr.  Fern,  at  first  much  distressed  over  his 
daughter's  action,  grew  reconciled  when  he  thought 
of  it  more  at  length.  He  sent  a  liberal  allowance  to 
her,  which  she  did  not  return,  and  made  arrange- 
ments by  which  she  could  draw  the  same  sum  at  her 
convenience  at  a  bank  in  the  city. 


946  A.   BLACK   ADOtTU. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

WHERE    WAS    DAISY  ? 

The  wedding  was  arranged  to  occur  in  the  month 
of  October,  and  the  preparations,  so  dear  to  the 
hearts  of  all  young  women,  were  pushed  with  dis- 
patch. There  were  to  be  no  ceremonials  beyond  the 
ones  necessary,  and  the  company  to  visit  the  nuptials 
was  limited  to  a  dozen  of  the  family's  most  intimate 
friends.  When  the  evening  came,  Walker  Boggs 
was  on  hand,  wearing  an  extra  large  waistcoat,  and 
a  countenance  such  as  would  have  best  befitted  a 
funeral.  Lawrence  Gouger  came,  his  keen  eye  alert, 
foreseeing  several  chapters  in  the  great  novel  that 
Roseleaf  was  writing,  based  on  the  experiences  of  the 
next  few  weeks.  But  Archie  Weil  wrote  a  note  at 
the  last  minute,  regretting  that  a  business  engage- 
ment that  could  not  be  postponed  had  called  him 
to  a  distant  point,  and  sending  a  magnificent  orna- 
ment in  large  pearls  for  the  bride,  to  whom  he 
wished,  with  her  husband,  all  health  and  happiness. 

Mr.  Gouger  had  had  many  arguments  with  Mr. 
Weil,  in  opposition  to  the  early  date  set  for  the  wed- 
ding. He  had  shown  that,  according  to  the  best 
models,  the  hero  of  Roseleaf's  novel — which  was  prac- 
tically the  young  man  himself,  ought  to  pass  through 
some  very  harrowing  scenes  yet  before  his  wedded 
happiness  began.  He  feared  an  anti-climax,  and  was 
apprehensive  tiiat  the  wonderful  romance  would  lie 


"WHERE    WAS   DAISY  ?  24:7 

untouched  for  long  months  while  Roseleaf  sipped 
honey  from  the  lips  of  his  beloved.  And  he  acted  as 
if  these  things  were  entirely  at  the  disposal  of  Mr. 
Weil — as  if  the  young  couple  were  mere  marionettes 
whose  actions  he  could  control. 

"  You  could  put  it  off  if  you  liked,"  Gouger  said, 
complainingly.  "You  could  introduce  other  ele- 
ments that  would  be  the  making  of  the  novel,  and 
you  ought  to  do  it.  They  should  not  marry  before 
next  spring,  at  the  earliest.  You  run  the  risk  of 
spoiling  everything." 

"  Good  God  !"  cried  Archie.  "  You  talk  like  a  fool. 
I  would  have  postponed  it  forever,  if  I  could,  and 
you  know  it.  But  she  loves  him,  and  there  is  noth- 
ing to  be  gained  by  delay.  Confound  you  and  your 
old  novel !  With  the  happiness  of  two  human  beings 
at  stake  you  talk  about  a  piece  of  fiction  as  if  it  was 
worth  more  than  a  blissful  life  !" 

Gouger  straightened  himself  up  in  his  chair. 

"  It  is  worth  a  hundred  times  more  !"  he  answered, 
boldly.  "  A  novel  such  as  Roseleaf's  ought  to  be 
would  give  pleasure  to  millions.  But  I  see  you  are 
bound  to  have  your  way.  The  only  hope  left  is  that 
there  will  be  trouble  enough  after  marriage  to  spice 
the  story  to  the  end.  A  milk  and  water,  nursing- 
bottle  existence  for  them  would  make  all  the  work 
already  done  on  this  manuscript  mere  wasted  time  !" 

Weil  turned  from  his  friend  in  disgust.  Could  the 
man  talk  nothing,  think  nothing,  but  shop  ? 

But  Archie  did  not  come  to  the  wedding.  He 
knew  the  final  strain  would  be  more  than  he  could 
bear.  It  was  one  thing  to  sacrifice  the  woman  he 


24:8  JL   BLACK    ADONIS. 

loved  and  quite  another  to  see  her  given  into  the 
arms  of  the  rival  he  had  encouraged.  One  may  do 
the  noblest  things,  at  a  respectful  distance,  and  find 
himself  physically  unable  to  view  them  at  greater 
proximity. 

Of  course  Shirley  Roseleaf  was  almost  too  happy 
to  breathe.  But  even  the  happiest  of  lovers  some- 
how manage  to  inhale  a  sufficiency  of  oxygen  to 
keep  life  in  them,  though  they  have  no  knowledge 
of  the  process  by  which  this  is  accomplished.  He 
had  seen  several  of  his  productions  in  type,  some  in 
the  leading  magazines,  and  he  had  a  permanent  posi- 
tion now  on  the  staff  of  a  great  periodical.  When 
the  month  he  had  allowed  himself  as  necessary  for  a 
wedding  journey  was  ended,  he  would  settle  down 
to  work,  and  he  knew  no  reason  why  he  might  not 
make  a  success  in  his  chosen  field.  And  there  was 
Daisy — always  Daisy — he  would  never  again  be  sep- 
arated from  Daisy  !  Who  that  has  loved  and  been 
loved  can  doubt  the  perfect  content  of  this  young 
man  ? 

The  saddest  face  at  Midlands  was  that  of  Mr.  Fern, 
who  failed  in  his  best  attempts  to  appear  cheerful. 
He  was  not  sorry  that  his  daughter  was  to  be  mar- 
ried, he  would  not  have  put  a  single  obstacle  in  her 
way  ;  but  she  was  going  from  him,  and  the  very,  very 
dear  relations  they  had  so  long  sustained  would 
never  be  exactly  the  same  again.  It  was  the  destiny 
of  a  woman  to  cleave  to  her  husband.  He  found  no 
fault  with  the  law  of  nature,  but  he  had  clung  to 
Daisy  so  devotedly  that  he  could  not  welcome  very 
sincerely  the  hour  that  was  to  take  her  away. 


WHEEB  WAS  DAISY?  249 

The  marriage  was  to  be  early  in  the  evening. 
Everything  was  ready,  even  to  the  trunks,  filled  with 
traveling  and  other  dresses.  The  night  was  to  be 
passed  at  the  Imperial  Hotel  in  the  city,  and  the 
journey  proper  to  be  begun  some  time  on  the  follow- 
ing day. 

On  the  most  momentous  morning  of  her  life, 
Daisy  Fern  announced  that  she  had  an  errand  to  do 
in  the  city  and  would  return  shortly  after  tweke 
o'clock.  As  she  was  so  thoroughly  her  own  mistress 
nobody  thought  of  questioning  her  more  particularly. 
But  twelve  o'clock  came,  and  one  o'clock,  and  three, 
and  five,  and  she  neither  was  seen  at  Midlands  nor 
was  any  message  received  from  her. 

By  the  latter  hour  Mr.  Fern  was  in  a  state  of  ex- 
citement. The  entire  house  was  in  an  uproar.  The 
servants  were  catechised,  one  by  one,  to  see  if  per- 
chance any  of  them  could  guess  the  young  lady's 
destination.  Word  was  sent  by  telephone  to  various 
places  in  the  city,  asking  information,  but  none  was 
received.  She  had  left  the  house,  ostensibly  to  go 
to  New  York,  and  nothing  could  be  learned  of  her 
from  that  moment. 

As  Mr.  Roseleaf  was  not  expected  until  some  time 
later,  Mr.  Fern  went  at  last  to  the  city  and  sought 
the  young  man  at  his  rooms.  He  found  him  in  the 
company  of  Lawrence  Gouger,  dressed  for  the  cere- 
mony, and  impatient  for  the  arrival  of  the  hour 
when  he  should  start  for  his  bride's  abode.  It  may 
be  conceived  that  the  news  Mr.  Fern  brought  was 
not  the  pleasantest  for  him. 

"  You — you  have  not  seen  Daisy  ?"  came  the  stain- 


250  A  BLACK   ADOKIS. 

mering  question,  as  the  father  paused  on  the  thresh- 
old of  Roseleaf's  room. 

14  To-day  ?  Why,  certainly  not !"  was  the  stupe- 
fied answer.  "  I  was  just  about  to  start  for  your 
house." 

Mr.  Fern  sank  upon  a  sofa  just  inside  the  door. 

"  Something — has — happened  !"  he  groaned.  "  Ah, 
my  boy,  something  has  happened  to  my  child  !" 

Roseleaf  looked  at  Mr.  Gouger,  who  in  turn  looked 
at  Mr.  Fern. 

"  She — went  away — tkis  morning — on  an  errand," 
enunciated  the  father,  slowly,  "  saying — she  would 
return — at  noon.  And — that  is  the  last  we — have 
seen — of  her.  Oh,  it  seems  as  if  I  should  go  mad  !" 

It  seemed  as  if  Shirley  Roseleaf  would  go  mad, 
too.  He  looked  like  one  bereft  of  sense,  as  he  stood 
there  without  uttering  a  word. 

"  Perhaps  she  has  returned  since  you  left  home," 
suggested  Mr.  Gouger,  on  the  spur  of  the  instant. 
*  Don't  lose  heart  yet.  Let  me  send  to  a  telephone 
office  and  have  them  inquire.  You  have  a  'phone  in 
your  house,  have  you  not,  Mr.  Fern  ?" 

The  father  bowed  in  reply.  He  was  too  crushed 
to  say  anything  unnecessary.  Touching  a  button, 
Mr.  Gouger  soon  had  a  messenger  dispatched  for 
the  information  desired,  and  in  the  meantime  he 
tried,  by  suggesting  possibilities,  to  soothe  the  two 
men. 

"  You  shouldn't  get  so  exciied,"  he  protested. 
"  There  are  a  hundred  slight  accidents  that  might  be 
responsible  for  Miss  Daisy's  delay.  Perhaps  she 
has  met  with  an  insignificant  accident,  and  the  word 


WHERE   WAS    DAWT  ?  Si  I 

she  has  sent  to  her  father  has  gone  astray— as  hap- 
pens very  often  in  these  days.  That  would  account 
for  everything.  Or  she  may  have  taken  the  wrong 
train — an  express — that  did  not  stop  this  side  of 
Bridgeport,  and  hesitated  to  telegraph  for  fear  of 
alarming  you.  '  Don't  cry  till  you're  hurt '  is  an  old 
proverb.  Why,  neither  of  you  act  much  better  than 
as  if  her  dead  body  had  been  brought  home  !" 

They  heard  him,  but  neither  replied.  They  waited 
— it  seemed  an  hour — for  an  answer  to  the  telephonic 
message,  and  it  came,  simply  this  :  "  Nothing  has 
been  heard  as  yet  of  Miss  Fern." 

The  thoroughly  distressed  and  disheartened 
father  shrank  before  the  gaze  of  the  lover,  when  this 
news  was  promulgated  by  Mr.  Gouger. 

"  What  swindle  is  this  ?"  were  the  bitter  words  he 
heard.  "  Have  you  decided  on  another  husband  for 
your  daughter,  and  come  to  break  the  news  to  me 
in  this  fashion  ?" 

Mr.  Gouger  interfered,  to  protect  the  old  man 
whose  suffering  was  evidently  already  too  acute. 

"  Hush  !"  he  exclaimed.  "  Can't  you  see  that 
you  are  killing  him  ?  Be  careful  !" 

Roseleaf  waved  him  back  with  a  sweeep  of  his 
arm. 

"  Your  advice  has  not  been  asked,"  he  replied, 
gutturally.  "I  can  see  some  things,  if  I  am  blind. 
That  girl  has  gone  to  the  man  she  loves — the  man 
he,"  indicating  the  father,  "  wanted  her  to  marry. 
He  is  rich,  and  I  am  poor,  and  he  has  won  !  It  is 
plain  enough  !  And  he  pretended,  day  by  day,  to 
ray  face,  that  he  had  given  her  up  for  my  sake  ; 


252  A.  BLACK   ADONI8. 

and  she  put  her  arms  around  me,  and  beguiled  me 
into  confidence,  in  order  to  strike  me  the  harder  at 
the  end.  Well,  let  him  have  her  !  I  wouldn't  take 
her  from  him.  But  there's  an  account  between  us 
that  he  may  not  like  to  settle.  When  you  see  your 
friend,  tell  him  that  !" 

Mr.  Fern  heard  ihese  terrible  sentences  like  a  man 
in  a  dream.  It  could  not  be  Roseleafthat  was  utter- 
ing them  —the  man  to  whom  his  young  daughter  had 
given  the  full  affection  of  her  innocent  heart  !  H« 
was  mad  to  talk  that  way.  Mad  !  mad  ! 

"You  will  repent  these  rash  statements,"  said  the 
old  gentleman,  rising  faintly  from  his  seat.  "You 
will  repent  them,  sir,  in  syckcloth.  I  wish  with  alt 
my  heart  that  Mr.  Weil  was  here,  for  he  would  at 
least  try  to  help  me  find  my  child." 

Mr.  Gouger  suggested  that  Mr.  Weil  would  be  at 
Midlands  soon,  as  he  had  an  invitation  to  the  wed- 
ding. 

"  No,"  replied  Mr.  Fern,  chokingly.  "  I  received 
word  from  him  to-day  that  he  could  not  attend.  He 
is  out  of  the  city." 

Roseleaf  gave  vent    to  an  expression  of  nausea. 

"  Are  you  yourself  deceived  ?"  he  exclaimed. 
"He  will  not  attend  my  wedding;  certainly  not  J 
He  is  attending  his  own.  If,  indeed,  he  does  not  com- 
pass his  ends  without  that  preliminary." 

Weak  and  old  as  Mr.  Fern  was  he  woold  have 
struck  the  speaker  had  not  the  third  person  in  the 
room  interfered. 

"  Do  you  dare  to  speak  in  that  manner  of  my 
daughter  !"  he  cried.  "  Must  you  attack  the  char- 


WHERE  WAS  DAISY?  259 

acter  not  only  of  my  best  friend  but  of  my  child  as 
well?  I  thank  God  at  this  moment,  whatever  be  her 
fate,  that  she  did  not  join  her  life  to  yours  !" 

With  a  majestic  step  he  strode  from  the  presence 
of  his  late  prospective  son-in-law.  Gouger,  with  a 
feeling  that  some  one  should  accompany  him,  fol- 
lowed. But  first  he  turned  to  speak  in  a  low  key  to 
the  novelist. 

"  Do  not  go  out  to-night,  unless  you  hear  from 
me,"  he  said,  impressively.  "This  may  not  be  as 
bad  as  you  think,  after  all.  I  will  go  to  Midlands 
and  return  with  what  news  I  can  get.  Don't  act 
until  you  are  certain  of  your  premises." 

The  young  man  was  removing  his  wedding  suit, 
already. 

"  I  shall  not  go  out,"  he  responded,  aimlessly. 

"You  might  write  a  few  pages — on  your  novel," 
suggested  the  critic,  as  he  stood  in  the  hallway. 
'*  There  will  never  be  a  better — " 

A  vigorous  movement  slammed  the  door  in  his 
face  before  he  could  complete  his  sentence. 

Hastening  after  Mr.  Fern,  Gouger  accompanied 
him  home,  where  the  first  thing  he  heard  was  that 
there  was  still  no  news  of  the  missing  one. 


3&f  A   BLACK    ADOJlIi. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

AN    AWFUL    NIGHT. 

It  was  an  awful  night  for  Wilton  Fern.  The  pres- 
ence in  the  house  of  Mr.  Gouger  and  Mr.  Boggs 
aided  him  but  little  to  bear  the  weight  that  pressed 
Upon  his  heart.  It  was  better  than  being  entirely 
alone,  but  not  a  great  deal.  Together  tliey  listened 
whenever  their  ears  caught  an  unusual  sound. 
Twenty  times  they  went  together  to  the  street  door 
and  opened  it  to  find  nothing  animate  before  them. 

Morning  came  and  still  no  tidings.  The  earliest 
trains  from  the  city  were  visited  by  servants,  for  the 
master  of  the  house  was  too  exhausted  to  make  the 
journey.  And  at  nine  o'clock  the  gentlemen  who 
had  passed  the  night  at  Midlands  took  the  railway 
back  to  New  York,  with  no  solution  of  the  great 
problem. 

Mr.  Gouger  had  not  been  in  his  office  an  hour  be- 
fore the  door  opened  and  in  walked  Archie  Weil. 
The  critic  started  from  his  chair  at  the  unexpected 
sight,  and  remarked  that  he  had  not  expected  to  sec 
his  visitor  so  early. 

*  I  presume  you  heard  the  news  and  came  home 
at  once,"  he  added,  meaningly. 

Mr.  Weil  was  pale,  and  wore  the  look  of  one  whose 
rest  has  been  disturbed. 

"I  don't  know  what  you  mean,"  he  replied.  MI 
w»»  called  away  on  business  that  I  could  not  evade, 


AH    AWFUL    NIGHT.  96i 

and  came  back  as  soon  as  I  could.  I  fear  the  Ferns 
thought  it  rather  rough  of  me  to  stay  away  from  th« 
wedding,  but  I  could  not  very  well  help  it.  You 
were  there,  of  course.  Everything  went  off  well,  1 
trust." 

The  speaker  had  the  air  of  a  man  who  tries  to  ap~ 
pear  at  ease  when  he  is  not.  His  voice  trembled 
slightly  and  his  hands  roamed  from  one  portion  of 
his  apparel  to  another. 

"  Then  you  have  heard  nothing !"  repeated  Goug- 
er,  gravely.  "  Prepare  yourself  for  a  shock.  There 
was  no  wedding  last  night  at  the  Ferns'.  Miss 
Daisy  disappeared  yesterday  morning,  and  has  not 
been  seen  since." 

If  Mr.  Weil  had  been  pale  before,  his  face  was  like 
a  dead  man's  now.  With  many  expressions  of  in- 
credulity he  listened  to  the  explanations  that  fol- 
lowed. He  declared  that  the  occurrence  was  past  be- 
lief, and  that  he  could  see  no  way  to  account  for  it. 
Clearly  something  had  happened  that  the  girl  could 
not  prevent.  She  would  never  have  absented  her- 
self of  her  own  accord.  She  loved  the  man  who  was 
to  be  her  husband,  and  if  she  had  wished  to  post- 
pone her  marriage  she  could  have  easily  arranged  it. 

"  I  can  think  of  nothing  but  a  fit  of  temporary  in- 
sanity," he  added,  with  a  sigh.  "And  Shirley — poor 
fellow — how  does  he  take  it  ?  Completely  broken 
up-,  I  suppose  ?" 

When  he  heard  the  attitude  that  Mr.  Roseleaf  had 
assumed,  Mr.  Weil  seemed  stupefied.  Little  by 
little  Mr.  Gouger  revealed  to  him  the  answers  that 
the  young  man  had  made  to  Mr.  Ftrn,  finally  r«l«r- 


256  A  BLACK  ADONIS. 

ring  to  the  charge  that  he  (Mr.  Weil)  had  eloped 
with  the  bride.  Archie's  face  grew  more  and  more 
rigid  as  he  listened,  but  the  anger  that  the  relator 
had  anticipated  did  not  show  there. 

"He  is  crazy,"  was  the  mild  reply.  "I  will  go 
and  see  him,  at  once,  and  enlist  his  assistance  in  the 
thorough  search  that  must  be  undertaken.  Come, 
Lawrence,  leave  your  work  for  an  hour  and  go  with 
me." 

Remembering  his  promise  to  return  in  the  morn- 
ing with  the  latest  tidings,  Mr.  Gouger  put  on  his 
hat  and  coat  and  entered  the  cab  which  his  friend 
summoned.  He  felt  that  he  was  about  to  witness 
another  chapter  that  would  make  most  dramatic 
reading  in  that  great  novel  ! 

"  You  had  best  let  me  go  in  first,"  he  whispered, 
when  they  stood  at  Roseleaf's  door.  "  He  is  in  an 
excitable  frame  of  mind,  I  fear." 

For  answer,  Archie  brushed  the  speaker  aside  and 
preceded  him  into  the  chamber,  without  the  formal- 
ity of  a  knock.  Roseleaf  lay  before  them  in  his  easy 
chair,  bearing  evidence  in  his  attire  that  he  had  not 
disrobed  during  the  night.  He  greeted  his  visitors 
with  nothing  more  "-.han  a  look  of  inquiry. 

"I  only  heard  of  your  terrible  disaster  a  few  mo- 
ments ago,"  said  Mr.  Weil.  "  I  learn  that  Miss  Daisy 
had  not  been  heard  from  up  to  nine  o'clock  this 
morning.  We  must  bring  all  our  energies  to  bear 
on  this  matter,  Shirley.  Her  father  is  unable  to 
help  us  much.  For  all  we  know  she  may  be  in  the 
most  awful  danger.  Rouse  yourself  and  let  us  con- 
sult what  is  best  to  do." 


AW   AWFUL   NiOHT-  267 

Incredulousness  was  written  on  the  quiet  face  that 
looked  up  at  him  from  the  armchair. 

"Why  don't  you  tell  us  what  you  have  done  with 
her  v>  sa**1  *&«  bloodless  lips,  slowly. 

Mr.  Weil  trembled  with  suppressed  emotion. 

"This  is  no  time  for  recriminations,"  he  replied, 
"  or  I  might  answer  that  in  a  different  way.  We 
must  find  this  girl.  Before  we  go  to  the  police 
let  us  consider  all  the  possibilities,  for  they  will 
deluge  us  with  questions.  Did  any  one  think,"  he 
asked,  suddenly,  turning  to  Gouger,  "  of  sending 
word  to  her  sister  Millicent  ?" 

Mr.  Gouger  replied  that  they  had  done  so.  A  ser- 
vant had  been  dispatched  early  in  the  evening  to 
Millicent's  residence  and  had  returned  with  the 
answer  that  she  had  heard  nothing  of  Miss  Daisy 
and  did  not  wish  to.  She  had  previously  sent  a 
sarcastic  reply  to  an  invitation  to  attend  the  wed- 
ding. 

"  And  she  never  came  to  comfort  her  father  in 
his  distress  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Weil.  "  What  a 
daughter  !" 

They  could  get  nothing  out  of  Roseleaf.  He 
answered  a  dozen  times  that  it  would  be  much  easier 
for  Mr.  Weil  to  send  Daisy  home  or  to  write  to  her 
father  that  she  was  in  his  keeping,  than  to  attempt 
th«  difficult  task  of  deceiving  the  police,  who  would 
have  enough  shrewdness  to  unmask  him. 

"  Then  you  will  do  nothing  to  help  us  ?"  demanded 
Archie,  his  patience  becoming  exhausted,  though  he 
kept  his  temper  very  wtH  "  In  that  case  we  must 


258  A    BLACK    ADONIS. 

lose  no  more  time.  Ah,  Shirley !  I  thought  you 
worthy  of  that  angelic  creature,  but  now — " 

He  checked  himself  before  finishing  the  sentence, 
and  went  out  into  the  hall. 

"  I  think  I  had  best  go  to  Midlands  and  consult 
with  Mr.  Fern,"  he  said  to  Gouger  in  a  low  tone. 
"  There  is  a  possibility  that  his  daughter  has 
returned  since  you  came  away.  What  an  awful  list 
of  horrible  thoughts  crowd  on  one  !  If  you  can 
help  me  any  I  will  send  you  word  later." 

When  Mr.  Weil  was  gone,  Mr.  Gouger  opened  the 
door  and  looked  again  into  Roseleaf's  room.  The 
young  man  had  not  changed  his  position  in  the  least. 

"  He  has  started  for  Midlands,"  he  said.  "What 
do  you  think  of  his  explanation  in  regard  to  his 
absence  last  night  ?" 

"  I  think — I  know — it  is  a  lie  !"  was  the  quick 
reply. 

"You  really  believe  she  went  away  to  meet  him — 
and  that  he  has  passed  the  last  twenty-four  hours 
with  her." 

"Undoubtedly." 

The  critic  waited  a  minute. 

"  Do  you  think  they  are  married  ?"  he  asked. 

Roseleaf  closed  his  eyes,  as  a  terrible  pain  shot 
across  them.  He  wondered  dimly  why  this  fellow 
should  delight  in  uttering  things  that  must  cause  suf- 
fering. Gouger  deliberated  whether  to  say  more,  but 
thinking  that  he  had  left  the  right  idea  in  the  young 
man's  mind  for  the  purpose  he  had  in  view,  he  softly 
withdrew  from  the  chamber  and  left  the  bouse 


JUT  AwroL  WIGHT.  S5§ 


When  Roseleaf  looked  up  again,  some  minutes  later, 
he  was  alone. 

Mr.  Weil's  hand  was  grasped  feebly  by  the  owner 
of  Midlands,  when  he  came  into  the  presence  of  the 
gentleman.  Though  completely  exhausted  Mr.  Fern 
had  not  been  able  to  sleep.  He  listened  wearily 
while  his  caller  suggested  possibilities  to  account  for 
his  daughter's  absence,  but  could  not  agree  that  any 
of  them  were  probable.  When  the  idea  was  broached 
of  communicating  with  the  police  he  shrank  from 
that  course,  but  finally  admitted  that  it  must  be 
adopted,  if  all  else  failed.  In  answer  to  a  hundred 
questions  he  could  only  say  that  he  had  no  idea  of 
anything  that  could  make  her  absence  voluntary. 

"She  loved  her  chosen  husband  devotedly,"  said 
the  old  man.  "  When  she  hears  what  I  have  to  tell 
her  she  will  hold  a  different  opinion." 

"Then,"  said  Archie,  ignoring  the  latter  expres- 
sion, "she  must  either  be  the  victim  of  an  accident,  a 
fit  cl  aberration,  or  —  " 

H«  could  not  bear  to  finish  the  sentence,  but  the 
fath«r  bowed  in  acquiescence. 

Lunch  was  served  and  Mr.  Weil  sat  down  to  it, 
trying  by  his  example  to  persuade  Mr.  Fern  to  take 
a  few  mouthfuls.  Neither  of  them  had  any  appetite, 
and  the  attempt  was  a  dismal  failure. 

"  I  leave  everything  to  you,"  said  the  host,  as  Mr. 
Weil  prepared  to  take  his  departure.  "You  are  the 
truest  friend  I  ever  had,  and  whatever  you  decide 
jupon  I  will  endorse.  But  I  have  an  awful  sinking  at 
the  heart,  a  feeling  that  I  shall  never  see  my  child 


399  A  BLACK   iDOXtt. 

alive.    Do  you  believe  in  premonitions  ?    I  have  felt 
for  weeks  that  some  misfortune  hung  over  me." 

Before  Mr.  Weil  could  reply  a  servant  entered 
with  a  telegraphic  message  that  had  just  been  re- 
ceived. Tearing  it  open  hastily  Mr.  Fern  uttered  a 
cry  and  handed  it  to  his  companion  : 

"  I  am  alive  and  uninjured.  Look  for  me  to-morrow.— 
Daisy." 

A  gush  of  tears  drowned  the  exclamations  of  joy 
that  the  father  began  to  utter. 

"Alive!"  he  exclaimed.  "And  will  be  home  to- 
morrow !  Ah,  Mr.  Weil,  hope  is  not  lost,  after  all. 
But  why,  why  does  she  leave  me  in  my  loneliness 
another  night  ?  Is  there  any  way  in  which  you  can 
explain  this  mystery  ?" 

Mr.  Weil  confessed  his  inability  to  do  so.  He 
tried,  however,  to  show  the  father  the  bright  side  of 
the  affair,  and  bade  him  rest  tranquil  in  the  certainty 
that  only  a  few  hours  separated  him  from  the  child 
he  adored.  When  Daisy  came  home  she  would  ex- 
plain everything  to  his  satisfaction.  In  the  mean- 
time he  ought  to  indulge  in  thankfulness  for  what 
he  had  learned  rather  than  in  regrets. 

"  Go  to  bed  and  get  a  good  rest,"  he  added.  "  I 
will  make  a  journey  to  the  telegraph  office  in  the  city 
and  see  if  it  is  possible  to  trace  this  message.  If  I 
learn  anything  I  will  ring  you  upon  the  telephone  at 
once.  And  remember,  if  you  do  not  hear  from  me, 
there  is  a  proverb  that  no  news  is  good  news. 
Daisy  has  promised  to  come  home  to-morrow.  This 


Alff  AWFUL  NIGHT.  261 

Is  something  definite.  An  hour  ago  we  were  plunged 
in  despair.  Now  we  have  a  certainty  that  should 
buoy  us  up  to  the  highest  hope." 

Catching  at  this  view  of  the  case,  Mr.  Fern  con- 
sented to  seek  rest  and  Mr.  Weil  took  the  next  train 
to  the  city.  Engaging  a  carriage  he  bade  the  driver 
take  him  with  all  speed  to  Mr.  Roseleaf's  residence. 
Notwithstanding  the  harsh  manner  in  which  he  had 
been  treated  by  his  late  friend,  he  wanted  to  be  the 
first  to  inform  him  that  Daisy  had  been  heard  from. 
He  was  smarting,  naturally,  under  the  imputation 
upon  his  own  honor,  and  felt  that  the  telegram  in 
his  hand  would  at  least  remove  that  suspicion. 

"I  couldn't  help  coming  again,  Shirley,"  he  said, 
when  he  was  in  the  presence  of  the  novelist.  '•  I 
know,  despite  the  cruel  manner  you  have  assumed, 
that  you  still  love  Daisy  Fern  and  will  be  glad  to 
hear  that  she  is  safe  from  harm.  Here  is  a  telegram 
that  her  father  has  just  received,  stating  that  she  is 
well  and  will  be  at  home  to-morrow." 

His  face  glowed  with  pleasure  as  he  held  out  the 
missive,  but  darkened  again  when  Roseleaf  declined 
to  take  it  in  his  hand.  The  young  man  had  not 
moved,  apparently,  from  the  chair  in  which  he  had 
been  seen  three  hours  before,  and  his  expression  of 
countenance  was  unchanged. 

"  Does  she  say  where  she  passed  the  night — and 
with  whom  ?"  he  inquired. 

"  No.  But  she  says  she  is  well  and  will  return. 
Is  not  that  a  great  deal,  when  we  have  feared  some 
accident,  perhaps  a  fatal  one  ?" 

The  novelist  uttered  a  sneering  laugh. 


262  A  BLACK   ADOVIf. 

"  My  God,  Shirley,  why  do  you  treat  me  like  this  !" 
exclaimed  Mr.  Weil,  excitedly.  "  I  have  been  your 
friend  in  everything,  as  true  to  you  as  man  could 
be  !  If  I  had  done  the  dastardly  thing  of  which  you 
accuse  me,  why  should  I  come  to  you  at  all  ?  I 
could  have  taken  my  bride  and  gone  to  the  other 
end  of  the  earth.  We  need  not  have  adopted  these 
contemptible  measures.  But  although  I  did  care,  for 
this  girl — more  than  I  ever  cared  or  ever  shall  care 
for  another — I  knew  it  was  you  she  loved  and  I  did 
all  I  could  to  aid  you  in  your  suit.  Have  you  for- 
gotten how  I  brought  her  here,  as  you  lay  in  that 
very  chair,  and  removed  the  misunderstandings  that 
had  grown  up  between  you  ?  As  God  hears  me,  I  have 
no  idea  what  caused  her  absence  last  night  !  I  am 
going  now  to  the  telegraph  office  to  trace,  if  possible, 
the  message  and  find  where  she  is  at  present,  for  I 
want  to  relieve  her  father's  mind  still  more." 

Roseleaf  seemed  partially  convinced  by  this  out- 
burst. He  left  his  chair,  and  began  slowly  to  ar- 
range his  attire  before  the  mirror. 

"  If  you  are  sincere,"  he  said,  "  I  will  accompany 
you.  I  will  also  do  my  best  to  discover  the  resting- 
place  of  this  young  woman.  You  must  remain  with 
me  till  she  is  found.  If  we  do  not  see  her  before  to- 
morrow morning,  we  will  walk  into  her  presence  at 
Midlands  together.  Do  you  agree  to  this  ?" 

**  With  all  my  heart  !"  was  the  joyous  reply. 

In  ten  minutes  they  entered  the  carriage  at  the 
door,  and  were  driven  to  the  station  from  which  the 
telegram  had  been  sent. 


"THIS   ENDS   IT,   THEN?"  263 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

"  THIS  ENDS  IT,  THEN  ?" 

There  was  nothing  to  be  learned  at  the  telegrapk 
»«fice.  As  near  as  could  be  remembered  a  boy  had 
brought  the  message,  paid  for  it  and  vanished.  Only 
one  discovery  amounted  to  anything.  The  original 
dispatch  was  produced  and  proved  to  be  in  Daisy's 
handwriting.  Roseleaf  attested  to  this,  and  he 
knew  the  characters  too  well  to  be  mistaken. 

It  was  not  advisable,  in  Mr.  Weil's  opinion,  to  go 
to  the  police,  after  the  receipt  of  this  word  from  the 
missing  girl.  It  would  only  add  to  the  notoriety  of 
the  family  in  case  the  press  got  hold  of  the  news. 
But  he  did  think  it  wise  to  go  to  see  Isaac  Leveson 
and  find  a  man  named  Hazen,  whose  reputation  as  a 
detective  was  great.  He  could  rely  on  the  absolute 
silence  of  both  of  them.  The  ride  to  Isaac's  was 
consequently  made  next,  and  by  good  fortune  Hazen 
happened  to  be  in.  He  listened  gravely  to  the  situa- 
tion as  it  was  outlined  by  Mr.  Weil,  but  expressed 
his  opinion  that  nothing  would  be  gained  by  doing 
anything  before  the  next  day. 

"  That  telegram  is  genuine,"  he  said.  "  It  follows 
that,  unless  she  is  detained  forcibly,  she  will  be  at 
home  to-morrow.  The  writing  in  this  message  is 
not  like  that  of  a  person  under  threats,  like  one  com- 
pelled to  send  a  false  statement.  Your  best  way  is  to 
wait  till  she  comes  home,  providing  it  is  not  later 
than  she  indicates,  and  hear  her  story.  Perhaps  it 


264:  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

will  explain  the  mystery.  If  she  declines  to  do  thi«, 
I  will  undertake  to  probe  it  to  the  bottom,  if  you 
wish." 

Mr.  Roseleaf  took  no  part  in  this  discussion.  He 
was  becoming  convinced  that  Archie  Weil  was  inno- 
cent of  any  complicity  in  this  affair,  but  he  was  still 
disinclined  to  talk  much. 

"  Where  shall  we  go  now  ?"  he  asked,  when  they 
came  out  of  the  restaurant. 

"  To  the  Hoffman  House  ?"  said  Weil,  interroga- 
tively. "  I  believe  with  Hazen  that  we  can  do  noth- 
ing to-night." 

Very  well,  to  the  Hoffman  House  they  would  go. 
But  they  had  not  been  in  Weil's  room  five  minutes 
when  a  boy  came  up  with  a  telephonic  message  from 
Mr.  Fern,  stating  that  Daisy  was  safe  at  Midlands. 

"Let  us  return  without  delay,"  said  Weil,  enthusi- 
astically. "We  should  not  lose  a  moment  in  remov- 
ing this  terrible  cloud  !  Come,  Shirley,  we  can 
catch  the  six  o'clock  train  if  we  hasten." 

Mechanically  the  younger  man  followed  his  com- 
panion through  the  hall,  down  the  elevator  and  into 
a  carriage  at  the  door.  Forty  minutes  later  they 
alighted  from  the  train  at  Midlands  and  were  soon  in 
the  familiar  parlor  at  Mr.  Fern's.  A  servant  who  had 
admitted  them,  stated  that  Miss  Daisy  had  been 
home  about  two  hours  but  that  she  was  now  lying 
down.  He  would  inquire  whether  she  would  receive 
the  visitors. 

What  seemed  an  interminable  time  followed  be- 
fore the  appearance  of  Mr.  Fern  and  his  daughter. 
When  at  last  they  came  in  together,  leaning  on  each 


"THIS   ENDS   IT,   THEN?"  265 

other,  they  were  two  as  forlorn  objects  as  one  can 

imagine.  The  sight  of  his  sweetheart's  woe-begone 
face  smote  Roseleaf  like  a  blow.  He  regretted  to 
the  bottom  of  his  heart  the  cruel  things  he  had 
thought  and  said  of  her. 

"  Daisy  !"  he  exclaimed,  stepping  forward. 
"Daisy — my — " 

He  could  get  no  further,  for  Mr.  Fern,  with  a  ma- 
jestic motion  of  his  hand,  waved  him  back.  The  pres* 
ence  of  the  intended  bridegroom  was  evidently  not 
agreeable  to  the  old  gentleman. 

"  Sit  down,"  said  Mr.  Fern,  in  a  quavering  voice, 
addressing  himself  wholly  to  Weil.  "  I  telephoned 
to  you  that  my  daughter  had  returned,  for  I  knew  you 
would  be  anxious."  He  bore  with  special  stress  on 
the  word  "  you."  "  I — I  did  not  know  that  you  in- 
tended to  bring — any  other  person." 

The  allusion  to  Roseleaf  was  so  direct,  that  he 
could  not  help  attempting  some  kind  of  a  reply. 

"  Who  could  be  more  anxious  than  I  ?"  he  asked,  in 
a  tone  that  was  very  sweet  and  tender  ;  in  vivid  con- 
trast, the  old  man  thought,  to  his  manner  of  the  pre- 
ceding evening.  "  No  one  has  a  greater  interest  to 
learn  where  she  has  been  these  long,  desolate 
hours." 

Mr.  Fern  abandoned  his  intention  not  to  recognize 
the  fact  that  Roseleaf  was  present,  and  turned  upon 
him  with  a  fierce  glare  in  his  sunken  eyes. 

"  What  right  have  you  to  ask  questions  ?"  he  de- 
manded, pressing  the  trembling  form  of  his  daughter 
to  his  own.  "  You  were  the  first  to  doubt  her — even 
her  innocence — this  lamb  that  would  have  given  her 


266  A  BLACK  ADOJHi. 

life  for  you  only  yesterday  !  She  has  returned  to  nit, 
and  henceforth  she  is  mine!  You  could  not  have 
her  though  you  came  on  your  knees  !  You  wish  to 
know  where  she  has  been  !  Well,  you  never  will! 
She  will  not  tell  you  !  It  is  her  own  affair.  I  am 
speaking  for  her  when  I  say  that  we  desire  no  more 
of  your  visits  to  this  house  ;  we  are  through  with 
you,  thank  God  !" 

It  would  be  hard  to  tell  which  of  the  two  men  who 
listened  to  this  was  the  more  surprised.  Mr.  Weil 
felt  his  heart  sink  as  well  as  did  Roseleaf.  Daisy 
clung  to  her  father,  without  raising  her  eyes,  and 
there  was  nothing  to  indicate  that  she  disputed  his 
assertions. 

All  was  over  between  her  and  Roseleaf  !  Nothing 
could  bring  them  together  again  !  And  she  did  not 
mean  to  divulge  the  cause  of  her  remaining  away  a 
day  and  a  night — that  day  and  night  that  hac1.  been 
expected  to  precede  and  succeed  her  marriage. 

Shirley  rose  slowly.  He  bent  his  eyes  earnestly 
on  the  father  and  daughter,  and  his  voice  was 
firm. 

"When  one  is  dismissed,  there  is  nothing  for  him 
but  to  go.  I  regret  sincerely  what  I  said  last  night, 
when  the  horror  of  this  tiling  came  suddenly  upon 
me.  I  love  you,  Daisy,  and  I  know  by  what  you 
have  told  me  so  often  that  you  love  me.  Are  the 
foolish  utterances  of  a  distracted  man  to  separate  us 
forever  ?  Conceive  the  agony  I  was  in  when  at  the 
very  moment  I  was  to  start  for  my  wedding  I  heard 
that  my  bride  could  not  be  found  !  If  I  had  not 
adored  you  passionately  would  I  have  been  on 


267 

the  verge  of  madness,  saying  and  doing  things 
without  reason  and  excuse  ?  I  am  ordered  to  leave 
you,  my  sweetheart,  and  if  you  do  not  bid  me  stay  I 
can  only  obey  the  mandate.  But  I  love  you  more  at 
this  moment  than  ever.  All  I  ask  to  know  is  why 
you  made  this  flight.  If  your  answer  is  satisfactory 
there  will  be  nothing  on  my  part  to  prevent  our 
marriage." 

Archie  Weil  wished  that  he  could  have  led  this 
young  man  aside  for  just  a  moment,  to  show  him 
that  this  was  no  time  to  make  demands  or  exacpcon- 
ditions.  He  had  no  doubt  that  Daisy  would  explain 
everything,  a  little  later.  All  that  was  wanted  now 
was  a  revocation  of  the  dismissal  that  Mr.  Fern  had 
pronounced.  But  he  could  not  control  the  stormy 
ocean  upon  which  they  rode. 

"  You  seem  singularly  obtuse,"  Crime  the  shaking 
voice  of  the  old  gentleman.  "It  is  not  tor  you  to 
dictate  terms.  We  want  to  see  you  no  more.  Is 
not  that  clear  enough  ?" 

It  certainly  did  not  seem  to  be.  Roseleaf  lingered, 
wondering  if  these  were  really  to  be  the  last  phrases 
he  would  hear  in  that  house — in  that  very  room 
where  he  had  expected  to  hear  the  words  that  would 
make  this  sweet  girl  his  for  life. 

"Daisy,"  he  said,  addressing  himself  once  more  to 
the  silent  figure,  "  I  cannot  believe  you  have  so  soon 
learned  to  hate  me  !" 

She  looked  up  at  the  solemn  face  and  then  dropped 
her  eyes  again. 

"You  will  tell  me  where  you  were?"  he  pleaded. 
"  It  is  ray  right  to  know." 


268  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

She  looked  up  again,  with  a  wild  horror  in  her 

features. 

"  Oh,  I  cannot 7°  she  cried.  '*  I  never  can  tell  you. 
I  never  can!" 

This  statement  shocked  more  than  one  person  in 
that  room.  Up  to  this  moment  Mr.  Fern  had  only 
understood,  from  the  disjointed  expressions  of  his 
daughter  when  she  entered  the  house,  that  she  did 
not  wish  to  be  questioned  at  that  time.  She  had 
also  explained  to  him  that  she  had  sent  the  telegram 
to  make  the  coast  clear  of  all  except  her  parent,  as 
she  did  not  wish  to  meet  others  on  her  first  arrival. 
When  he  had  urged  the  duty  of  informing  Mr.  Weil 
she  had  acquiesced,  not  dreaming  that  Mr.  Roseleaf 
would  be  in  his  company. 

And  now  the  old  man  felt  that  there  was  more  in 
the  answer  she  had  given  than  he  had  suspected — 
something  very  like  a  confession  of  wrong.  Mr. 
Weil  felt  this  also,  though  he  could  not  believe  Daisy 
meant  anything  very  heinous,  and  Shirley  Roseleaf 
had  a  dagger  in  his  breast  as  he  reflected  what  inter- 
pretation might  be  given  to  her  words. 

"You  cannot!"  he  repeated,  ignoring  the  position 
in  which  he  stood,  and  the  presence  of  the  others. 
"  You  must  r 

Mr.  Weil  made  haste  to  allay  the  storm  that  he 
saw  was  still  rising. 

"  Let  us  be  considerate,"  he  said.  "  Miss  Fern  is 
not  well.  She  is  tired  and  nervous.  To-morrow, 
when  she  has  rested,  she  will  be  only  too  glad  to  tell 
us  the  history  of  her  strange  disappearance." 

Mr.  Fern  looked  uneasily  from  his  daughter  to  the 


"THIS  ENDS  IT,  THEN?"  269 

gentlemen  and  back  again.  He  loved  her  dearly, 
and  in  this  new  danger  that  seemed  to  threaten  her — 
danger  perhaps  even  to  her  reputation — he  wanted 
more  than  over  to  shield  her  from  all  harm.  What- 
ever had  happened  she  Was  his  child.  She  should 
not  be  baited  and  badgered  by  any  one.  But  Daisy 
did  not  give  him  time  to  speak  in  her  defense.  She 
answered  Mr.  Weil  almost  as  soon  as  the  question 
left  his  lips. 

"  It  cannot  be.  Not  to-morrow,  nor  at  any  other 
time,  can  I  tell  you — or  any  person — anything.  You 
must  never  ask  me.  It  would  merely  give  me  pain, 
and  heaven  knows  I  shall  suffer  enough  without  it. 
Let  me  say  a  little  more,  for  this  is  the  last  time  I 
shall  ever  speak  of  these  things.  To  you,  Mr.  Weil, 
I  want  to  give  my  warmest  thanks.  You  have  been 
a  true  friend  to  me  and  mine.  I  do  not  mean  to 
seem  ungrateful,  but  I  can  tell  you  no  more.  And 
as  for  you,  Shirley,"  she  turned  with  set  eyes  to  the 
novelist,  "  you  know  what  we  were  to  each  other. 
It  is  all  ended  now.  Even  if  you  had  expressed  no 
disbelief  in  me  when  you  heard  I  had  disappeared, 
it  would  be  just  the  same.  I  hold  no  hard  feelings 
against  you,  whatever  my  father  may  say.  It  is 
simply  good-by.  I  shall  not  remain  here  much 
longer.  Do  not  let  this  make  you  unhappy  any 
longer  than  you  can  help.  Now,  you  must  excuse 
me,  for  my  strength  is  gone." 

Daisy  had  been  much  longer  saying  these  things 
than  the  reader  will  be  in  perusing  them.  They  had 
come  in  gasps,  as  from  one  in  severe  pain,  and  there 
were  pauses  of  many  seconds.  When  she  had 


270  A  BLACK  Anoxia. 

nnished  she  rose,  and  leaning  heavily  on  the  feeble 
old  man  who  escorted  her,  walked  slowly  out  of  the 


"  Well,  this  ends  it,  then,"  said  Roseleaf,  gloomily, 
following  the  fair  figure  with  heavy  eyes. 

"  No,  Shirley,  it  does  not  ;  it  shall  not  !"  replied 
Weil.  "There  is  some  dreadful  mistake  here,  and  a 
little  time  will  clear  it  away.  Have  patience." 

The  novelist  gazed  at  the  speaker  with  a  strange 
look. 

"  I  have  treated  you  like  a  brute,"  he  said,  slowly. 
"And  I  have  treated  Mr.  Fern  just  as  badly.  My 
punishment  is  well  deserved.  But  how  can  this  puz- 
zle of  her  absence  be  accounted  for  !  Of  course  she 
would  have  had  to  satisfy  me  on  that  point  before  I 
could  have  married  her." 

The  listener  turned  giddily  toward  a  window. 

"  And  yet  you  talk  of  love  !"  he  said,  recovering. 
"  If  that  girl  had  done  me  the  honor  she  did  you  I 
would  not  have  asked  her  such  a  question  —  I  would 
have  refused  to  listen  if  it  gave  her  the  slightest  pain 
to  tell." 

"  I  wonder  she  did  not  love  you  instead  of  me  —  for 
she  did  love  me  once,"  was  the  sober  reply.  "  You 
would  be  a  thousand  times  better,  more  suitable, 
than  I." 

There  was  no  reply  to  this,  but  the  two  men  walked 
slowly  out  of  the  house  and  to  the  station,  where 
they  took  the  next  train  for  the  city.  On  the  way 
they  talked  little,  and  at  the  Grand  Central  Depot 
they  separated. 

Lawrence  Gouger,  who  had  in  some  strange  way 


"THIS    ENDS    IT,    THBW?"  271 

learned  the  news  of  Miss  Fern's  return,  was  awaiting 
Roseleaf  in  his  rooms. 

"  Well,  I  hear  the  missing  one  is  found,"  he  said,  as 
the  novelist  came  in. 

"  Yes.  She  is  with  her  father.  But  the  peculiar 
thing  is  that  she  closes  her  lips  absolutely  about  her 
absence.  She  not  only  refuses  to  speak  now,  but 
announces  that  her  refusal  is  final. 

Mr.  Gouger  hesitated  what  card  to  play. 

"  When  does  the  marriage  take  place  ?"  he  asked, 
finally. 

"  With  me  ?  Never.  I  have  been  thrown  over. 
Unless  she  had  explained  I  could  not  have  married 
her,  any  way  ;  could  I  ?" 

The  critic  said  he  did  not  know.  It  would  cer- 
tainly have  been  awkward. 

"  And  what  is  your  theory  ?"  he  added.  "  Do  you 
still  lay  anything  to  Weil  ?" 

"  No.  I  am  completely  nonplussed.  But,  never 
mind.  It  is  over." 

Roseleaf  stretched  himself,  and  yawned. 

"  Do  you  know,  Gouger,  I  almost  doubt  if  I  have 
really  been  in  love  at  all.  I  feel  a  queer  sense  of 
relief  at  being  out  of  it,  though  there  is  a  dull  pain, 
too,  that  isn't  exactly  comfortable.  I  told  Archie 
coming  in  that  she  should  have  married  him.  Upon 
my  soul  I  wish  she  would.  She's  an  awful  nice  little 
thing,  and  he  has  a  heart  that  is  genuine  enough  for 
her.  Well,  it's  odd,  anyway." 

Astonishment  was  written  on  the  face  of  the  other 
gentleman  as  he  heard  these  statements. 

"  You  hare  at  least  gained  one  point,"  he  said,  im- 


272  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

pressively.  "  You  have  done  the  best  part  of  the 
greatest  novel  that  ever  was  written.  Sit  down  as  soon 
as  you  can  and  finish  it,  and  we  shall  see  your  name 
so  high  up  on  the  temple  of  fame  that  no  contempor- 
ary of  this  generation  can  reach  it." 

"  So  high  the  letters  will  be  indistinguishable,  I 
fear,"  responded  Roseleaf,  with  a  laugh.  "  Where  do 
you  think  I  can  get  the  heartiest  supper  in  New 
York  ?  I  am  positively  starved.  I  don't  believe  I've 
eaten  a  thing  since  yesterday.  If  you  can  help  me 
any  to  clear  the  board,  let  us  go  together." 

This  invitation  was  accepted,  and  Roseleaf  began 
making  a  more  particular  toilet,  taking  great  pains 
with  the  set  of  his  cravat  and  spending  at  least  ten 
minutes  extra  on  his  hair  when  he  had  finished  shav- 
ing himself.  He  never  had  allowed  a  barber  to 
touch  his  face. 

"  You  won't  lose  any  time  on  the  novel,  will  you  ?" 
asked  Gouger,  anxiously,  while  these  preparations 
were  in  progress.  "  You  must  take  hold  of  it  while 
the  events  are  fresh  in  your  mind." 

"All  right,  I'll  begin  again  to-morrow  morning, 
and  stick  to  the  work  till  it's  done.  Where  shall  we 
go  to  supper?  I'll  tell  you — Isaac  Leveson's." 

The  critic  could  not  conceal  his  surprise  at  the 
overturn  that  had  taken  place  So  suddenly  in  the 
young  man's  conduct.  He  stared  at  him  with  a  look 
that  approached  consternation. 

"  You  want  to  go  there  1"  he  exclaimed,  unable  to 
control  himself.  "  You  wish  to  dine  with  some  pretty 
girl,  eh  T* 

Roseleaf  start**  violently. 


AN  UNDISOOVERABLE  BECKET.  973 

*'  No,  no  !  Not— yet !"  he  answered.  "  We  can 
get  a  supper  room  without  that  appendix.  I  wish  to 
be  among  men  as  mean  as  myself.  I  want  to  dine  in 
a  house  full  of  people  who  would  cut  a  woman's 
throat — or  break  her  heart — and  sleep  soundly  when 
they  had  done  it  I" 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

AN   UNDISCOVERABLE  SECRET. 

The  Ferns  did  not  stay  much  longer  at  Midlands. 
Crushed  by  their  misfortunes  neither  cared  to  remain 
near  the  scenes  that  had  made  them  so  unhappy,  nor 
where  they  would  be  likely  to  meet  faces  which  kept 
alive  their  grief.  The  father  knew  no  more  than  at 
first  concerning  the  strange  conduct  of  his  daughter. 
She  had  told  him  nothing,  and  he  had  not  asked  her 
a  single  question.  It  was  enough  for  him  that  she 
was  bowed  with  a  great  trouble.  His  only  thought 
was  to  mitigate  her  distress  in  every  possible  way. 
He  was  old — how  old  he  had  not  realized  until  that 
week  when  she  changed  from  a  happy,  laughing  girl, 
standing  at  the  threshold  of  a  marriage  she  longed 
for,  to  a  sombre  shadow  that  walked  silently  by  his 
side.  He  was  the  one  who  under  ordinary  circum- 
stances should  have  received  the  care  and  the 
thouglitfulness — but  everything  was  altered  now. 
He  guided  and  directed  the  younger  feet,  even 
though  his  own  were  faltering  and  slow. 


274  A  B&AOK   ADOSI3. 

Where  they  had  gone  no  one  seemed  to  know. 
Archie  Weil  received  one  brief  note  from  Mr.  Fern 
thanking  him  again  in  touching  phrase  for  his  many 
kindnesses,  and  saying  that  Daisy  wished  to  add  her 
most  earnest  wish  for  his  happiness.  The  letter  said 
they  were  going  away  for  some  time  ;  but  no  more. 
He  went  one  day  to  Midlands,  hoping  to  learn 
something  from  the  servants,  and  found  the  home 
entirely  deserted.  A  neighbor  told  him  a  real  estate 
agent  near  by  had  the  keys,  but  that  the  place  was 
neither  for  sale  nor  to  rent.  The  agent,  when  found, 
could  add  nothing  to  his  stock  of  information.  Mr. 
Fern  had  merely  mentioned  that  he  was  going  on  a 
journey  and  asked  to  have  a  man  sleep  at  the  house 
during  his  absence,  as  a  precaution  against  robbery. 

Mr.  Weil  saw  Roseleaf  two  or  three  times,  but  the 
interviews  were  so  unsatisfactory  that  he  felt  them 
not  worth  repeating.  The  novelist  told  him,  as  he 
had  told  Gouger,  that  he  did  not  believe  he  had  ever 
really  loved  Daisy,  and  was  actually  relieved  now 
that  the  strain  was  ended.  No  persuasion  could 
turn  him  from  this  statement,  which  he  made  rather 
in  explanation  of  his  present  course  than  as  a 
defense  of  it.  Gouger  had  persuaded  him  that  a 
love  affair  was  necessary  to  develop  his  talents  as  a 
writer.  Before  he  knew  what  he  was  about,  such  an 
affair  had  been  precipitated  upon  him.  He  had  felt 
its  pleasures  and  pains  to  the  uttermost,  and  now  it 
was  ended.  All  that  was  left  as  a  result  was  a  pile 
of  MSS.  which  the  critic  pronounced  wonderful.  It 
was  as  if  he  had  been  in  a  trance,  or  mesmerized. 


Alf    UWDiaCOVERABLE    SECRET.  275 

Henceforth  he  would  confine  his  writings  to  actuali- 
ties or  to  poetic  imaginings. 

Talking  with  a  man  who  held  these  views  was  not 
inspiring,  to  put  it  mildly,  and  Archie  reluctantly 
gave  up  all  hopes  of  making  Daisy  Fern  a  happy 
woman  through  this  source.  He  had  dreamed  of 
unraveling  the  mystery  that  surrounded  her  and 
placing  the  young  couple  again  in  the  position 
which,  by  some  horrible  mischance,  had  been  so 
vitally  changed  in  the  short  space  of  one  day. 
Though  he  still  loved  Daisy  with  all  the  warmth  of  his 
nature,  Archie  had  no  thought  of  trying  to  win  her 
for  himself.  She  had  given  the  fullness  of  her 
innocent  heart  to  Roseleaf  and  he  did  not  believe 
she  was  one  to  change  her  affections  to  another  so 
soon  as  this. 

What  had  happened  !  What  had  happened  !  He 
thought  it  over  day  by  day,  and  night  by  night. 

Among  the  things  he  did  before  leaving  New  York 
— for  ke  felt  that  a  journey  was  necessary  for  him — 
was  to  seek  out  Millicent.  He  found  the  elder  sister 
adamant  to  every  suggestion  of  love  for  her  family. 
She  believed  herself  injured  by  them,  and  would 
have  nothing  more  to  do  with  either.  As  to  the 
strange  affair  regarding  Daisy  she  declared  she  had 
no  theory.  She  did  not  think  it  sufficiently  interest- 
ing even  to  try  to  formulate  one.  Her  time  was 
given  to  writing,  and  she  had  found  another  assist- 
ant that  quite  filled  Roseleaf's  place.  The  firm  of 
Scratch  &  Bytum  had  accepted  her  latest  novel,  as 
she  did  not  care  to  have  anything  more  to  do  with 
Mr.  Gouger. 


373  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

When  she  mentioned  the  name  of  Roseleaf,  Mr. 
Weil  looked  at  her  intently,  and  saw  that  she  uttered  it 
with  the  utmost  calmness.  She  had  hardened.  Her 
fancied  grievances  had  made  her  a  different  woman. 
She  was  cynical  before,  but  now  she  was  bitter.  Ha 
would  not  have  believed  that  such  an  alteration 
could  have  taken  place  in  so  short  a  time. 

"  What  is  your  new  book  about  ?"  he  asked,  try- 
ing to  be  polite. 

"  Crime  !"  she  answered  briefly.  "  It  deals  with  the 
lowest  of  the  low.  It  suits  the  mood  I  am  in.  I  am 
writing  of  things  so  terrible  that  they  will  hardly  be 
credited.  To  get  at  my  facts  I  have  to  go  into  the 
most  depraved  quarters,  and  associate  with  the 
canaille.  But  I  am  going  to  make  a  hit  that  has  not 
been  equaled  in  recent  years  P1 

He  smiled  sadly. 

"  Roseleaf  had  the  same  expectation,"  he  said. 
"And  yet  he  tells  me  that  he  is  doing  nothing  on 
that  wonderful  tale  over  which  I  have  heard  Gouger 
rave  so  often.  He  has  reached  a  point  where  lie  can 
go  no  farther,  and  unless  he  rouses  himself,  all  he  has 
done  is  merely  wasted  time.*' 

Millicent  closed  her  eyes  till  they  resembled  those 
of  a  cat  at  noonday. 

"  Keep  watch  for  mine,"  she  said.  "  It  will  be  all 
I  claim  for  it." 

During  the  winter  Mr.  Weil  was  in  California.  As 
spring  approached  he  returned  to  the  East  and 
visited  a  well  known  resort  in  North  Carolina, 
where  by  one  of  those  curious  coincidences  that  hap- 
pen to  travelers,  he  found  himself  placed  at  table 


AW  UWDISOOVERABLE   SECRET.  277 

exactly  opposite  to  Mr.  Walker  Boggs.  The  ordinary 
salutations  and  explanations  followed,  and  then  Mr. 
Boggs  alluded  to  a  more  interesting  subject. 

"  I  think  I  can  surprise  you,"  he  remarked,  "  by 
something  that  I  learned  the  other  day.  Mr.  Fern 
and  Miss  Daisy  are  living  within  five  miles  of  here." 

It  was  certainly  news,  and  entirely  unexpected  at 
that.  Those  people  might  be  in  Greenland,  for  all 
Archie  had  known,  and  indeed  he  had  supposed  they 
were  on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean.  He  listened 
with  interest  while  Boggs  went  on  to  say  that  they 
had  hired  an  old  plantation  house  and  grounds 
and  were  living  a  strictly  secluded  life.  The  narra- 
tor had  seen  them  in  one  of  his  drives  through  the 
country,  and  had  talked  a  few  minutes  with  Mr. 
Fern  ;  but — and  he  said  it  with  a  touch  of  pique — 
he  had  not  been  invited  to  visit  them,  nor  had  any 
apology  been  made  for  the  neglect. 

"  By  George,  I  thought  it  rather  tough !"  he 
added,  "  considering  the  way  you  and  I  got  him  out 
of  that  nigger's  clutches." 

"  But  you  must  remember  what  he  has  since  en- 
dured," replied  Archie,  mildly. 

"  And  there's  been  no  explanation,  of  any  sort  ?" 

"  Not  the  slightest.  I'd  give  half  I'm  worth  if  I 
could  get  a  clue.  It  worries  me  all  the  time.  A  life 
like  that  girl's  ruined — simply  ruined — in  twenty- 
four  hours,  and  nobody  able  to  tell  why !  It's 
enough  to  drive  a  man  frantic  !'* 

Mr.  Weil  did  not  drive  immediately  to  Oakhurst, 
which  he  learned  was  the  name  of  the  estate  that  Mr. 
Fern  rented,  but  he  enclosed  his  card  in  a  hotel  e* 


278  A  BLACK 

Yelope  and  sent  it  there  by  mail,  without  a  word  of 
comment.  If  they  thought  it  best  to  see  him  h« 
would  be  glad  to  go,  otherwise  he  would  not  intrude 
on  their  privacy. 

Several  days  after — mails  were  slow  in  the  South 
— an  answer  came.  It  briefly  requested  that  Mr. 
Weil  and  Mr.  Boggs,  if  the  latter  were  still  in  town, 
would  come  to  lunch  on  the  following  Wednesday. 
Boggs  fumed  slightly  at  the  apparent  difference 
made  between  him  and  Weil,  but  ended  by  going 
with  his  friend  to  Oakhurst. 

Mr.  Fern  did  not  look  any  worse  than  when  Archie 
had  last  seen  him — indeed,  if  anything,  he  had  im- 
proved in  appearance.  Time  helps  most  griefs  to  put 
on  a  better  face,  and  though  the  marks  of  what  he 
had  passed  through  would  not  be  likely  to  leave  his 
countenance,  the  utter  hopelessness  had  in  a  measure 
diappeared.  When  Daisy  came  into  the  parlor,  she 
also  wore  a  mien  not  quite  so  crushed  as  when  she 
left  the  room  at  Midlands  with  her  words  of  fare- 
well. Whatever  her  trouble  was,  it  had  not  left  her 
without  something  to  live  for.  Her  youth  was  doing 
its  work,  and  it  seemed  to  the  anxious  eyes  of  the 
onlooker  that  time  would  restore  her  nearly,  if  not 
quite,  to  her  former  radiance. 

In  the  presence  of  Mr.  Boggs,  neither  father  nor 
daughter  cared  to  discuss  the  past.  They  talked  of 
the  plantation  on  which  they  resided,  of  the  pleasant 
drives  in  the  vicinity,  and  of  matters  connected  with 
the  world  in  general,  of  which  they  had  learned 
through  the  newspapers.  But  after  the  lunch  was 
finished  Archie  found  himself  alone  with  Daisy,  wan- 


AH  tnSDISOOTEBABLE  8ECBET.  £70 

dering  through  the  extensive  oak  forest  that  gave 
the  place  its  name. 

"  How  long  shall  you  stay  here  ?"  he  asked  her,  as 
a  preludeto  the  other  questions  he  wanted  to  follow  it. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  replied.  "We  shall  probably 
,  go  north  during  the  warm  weather,  perhaps  to  the 
1  White  Mountains. 

He  suggested  that  it  must  be  rather  lonesome  at 
Oakhurst. 

"  Not  for  us,"  she  said,  quickly.  "  We  are  all  in 
all  to  each  other,  and  require  no  thickly  settled  com- 
munity  to  satisfy  us." 

"  Daisy,"  he  said,  after  a  pause,  "  there  are  things 
I  must  say  to  you,  and  I 'hope — with  all  my  heart — 
you  will  find  a  way  to  answer  them.  In  the  first 
place,  do  you  believe  me,  really,  truly,  your  friend  ?" 

She  placed  her  hand  in  his  for  answer.  The  action 
meant  more  than  any  form  of  words. 

"  Then,  tell  me — tell  me  as  freely  as  if  I  were  your 
brother,  your  priest — why  you  stayed  from  home  that 
night." 

She  withdrew  the  hand  he  held,  to  place  it  with 
the  other  over  her  eyes. 

44  It  is  impossible,"  she  responded,  with  a  gasp. 
"  I  told  you  that  I  never  could  explain,  and  I  never 
can." 

He  looked  sorely  disappointed. 

"  I  know  no  person  on  earth — not  even  my  father/* 
she  proceeded,  giving  him  back  the  clasp  she  had 
loosened,  "  that  I  would  tell  it  to  sooner  than  you.  I 
have  not  given  him  the  least  hint.  I  know  it  leaves 
you  to  think  a  thousand  things,  and  I  can  only  throw 


280  A   BLACK  ADONIS. 

myself  on  your  mercy  ;  I  can  only  ask  you  to  re« 
member  all  you  knew  of  me  before  that  day,  and 
decide  whether  a  girl  can  change  her  whole  mental 
and  moral  attitude  in  a  moment." 

He  drew  her  arm  caressingly  through  his,  and 
breathed  a  sigh  on  her  forehead. 

"Not  for  one  second  have  I  doubted  your  truth  !" 
he  replied.  "  Believe  that,  Daisy,  through  every- 
thing. But  I  hoped  for  an  explanation,  for  some- 
thing that  might  assist  me  to  punish  the  guilty  ones, 
for  such  there  must  have  been." 

The  face  that  she  turned  toward  him  was  full  of 
terror. 

"  Why  do  you  say  that  ?"  she  exclaimed. 

"  Because — " 

"  No,  no  !"  she  cried,  interrupting  him.  "  I  do  not 
want  to  hear  you  !  We  must  not  talk  on  the  sub- 
ject j  There  is  nothing  to  be  told,  nothing  to  be 
guessed.  This  must  be  alluded  to  no  more  between 
us.  It  must  end  here  and  now  !" 

Thoroughly  disappointed,  he  could  do  no  more  than 
acquiesce  in  the  decision,  and  he  indicated  as  much 
by  a  profound  bow.  Then  she  changed  the  conver- 
sation by  an  abrupt  allusion  to  Roseleaf.  When  he 
told  her,  as  he  thought  it  wisest  to  do,  how  well  the 
young  man  had  borne  his  loss,  she  said  she  was  very 
thankful.  She  had  feared  that  he  would  suffer  when 
he  came  to  his  senses,  and  it  was  a  mercy  that  this 
reflection  had  been  spared  her. 

He  spoke  of  her  sister,  and  of  the  call  he  had 
made  upon  her,  suppressing,  however,  the  disagree- 
able features  of  her  remarks.  Daisy  said  she  had 


AS  UNDISCOVEEABLB   SECRET.  281 

written  twice  and  received  no  reply.     It  was  evident 
that  the  separation  in  the  family  was  final. 

Toward  evening  the  visitors  drove  back  to  their 
hotel,  discussing  the  strange  events  that  had  oc- 
curred. Archie  Weil  did  not  close  his  eyes  that 
night.  The  love  he  had  tried  to  suppress  broke 
forth  in  all  its  original  fervor.  He  could  not  sleep 
with  the  object  of  his  adoration  five  miles  away,  so 
lonely  and  so  desolate. 

The  next  day  Mr.  Boggs  went  away,  and  the  next 
after  this,  a  new  visitor  carried  from  the  north.  On 
coming  out  upon  the  veranda  to  smoke,  Mr.  Weil 
found  Shirley  Roseleaf  there. 

The  surprise  was  mutual.  Dying  of  ennui,  Archie 
was  glad  even  to  meet  the  novelist.  They  talked  for 
hours  and  afterward  went  to  ride  together.  It  ap- 
peared that  Roseleaf  had  come  south  to  get  material 
for  an  article  in  the  interest  of  the  magazine  on 
which  he  was  employed. 

One  night,  a  week  later,  Roseleaf  came  into  Weil's 
room  and  asked  if  he  would  like  to  take  a  moonlight 
canter  with  him.  Glad  of  any  means  to  vary  the 
awful  monotony  Archie  accepted,  and  the  horses 
were  soon  mounted.  Weil  noticed  that  the  route 
was  in  the  direction  of  Oakhurst,  but  as  he  supposed 
Roseleaf  knew  nothing  of  the  presence  of  the  Ferns 
there,  and  as  the  family  were  doubtless  abed  at  this 
time,  he  made  no  attempt  to  induce  him  to  take  an 
opposite  course.  It  was  a  sad  pleasure  to  pass  with- 
in so  ahort  a  distance  of  the  roof  that  sheltered  the 
one  he  loved  best.  On  they  rode,  until  they  were 


968  A  BLACK   ADOWIS. 

within  a  mile  of  Oakhurst,  and  then  Roseleaf  drew 
his  animal  down  to  a  walk.  A  little  further  he 
turned  sharply  into  a  by-path  and  alighted. 

"  What's    all  this  ?"  asked  Archie,  stupefied   with 
astonishment. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

"  I    PLAYED    AND    I    LOST.** 

Roseleaf  did  not  immediately  reply.  He  busied 
himself  by  tying  his  horse  to  a  tree,  taking  particular 
pains  to  make  the  knot  good  and  strong.  He  appar- 
ently wanted  a  little  time  to  think  what  form  of 
words  to  use. 

"  I  want  you  to  see  something  that  will  interest 
you,"  he  said,  finally,  in  the  lowest  tone  that  could 
well  be  heard.  "  If  you  will  follow  my  example  and 
accompany  me  some  distance  further  I  think  you 
will  be  paid  for  your  trouble." 

Mr.  Weil  was  pale.  He  felt  certain  that  this 
strange  visit  had  been  premeditated,  and  that  some 
revelation  regarding  the  Fern  family  was  about  to  be 
made.  The  dread  of  an  unknown  possibility  for 
which  he  had  no  preparation — affecting  the  girl  for 
whom  he  had  so  deep  a  love — unmanned  him. 

"I  have  a  right  to  ask  you  to  explain,"  he  re- 
sponded. "  If  your  statement  is  satisfactory  I  will 
accompany  you  gladly.  I  do  not  se«  the  need  of  any 
mytttrj  in  the  matter/* 


"l  PLATES  UT1>  X  UMK.  2&» 

The  younger  man  drew  a  long  breath  and  looked 
abstractedly  at  the  ground  for  some  moments.  Then 
he  spoke  again  : 

"  There  are  subjects,"  he  said,  "  that  one  does  not 
like  to  discuss.  There  are  names  that  one  hesitates 
to  pronounce.  If  you  will  tie  your  horse  and  go 
with  me,  your  eyes  and  ears  will  make  questions 
unnecessary." 

A  momentary  suspicion  flashed  through  the  mind 
of  the  other — a  suspicion  that  he  was  being  beguiled 
to  this  lonely  spot  from  a  sinister  motive  thai  boded 
his  safety  no  good.  But  it  was  immediately  dis- 
missed, and  after  another  second  of  delay,  Archie 
slipped  from  his  saddle  and  followed  the  example  of 
his  companion. 

"  Lead  on,"  he  said,  laconically. 

Without  waiting  for  a  second  invitation,  Roseleaf 
began  to  penetrate  the  wood.  He  found  a  footpath, 
after  going  a  short  distance,  and  crept  along  it 
slowly,  taking  evident  pains  not  to  make  unnecessary 
noise.  They  were  going  in  the  direction  of  Oak- 
hurst,  and  in  less  than  ten  minutes  the  chimneys  of 
that  residence  could  be  seen  in  front  of  them.  A 
little  further  and  Roseleaf  stopped,  placing  himself 
in  the  attitude  of  an  attentive  listener. 

The  silence  was  profound.  A  slight  chill  perme- 
ated the  atmosphere,  but  neither  of  the  prowlers  felt 
cold.  On  the  contrary,  perspiration  covered  the 
bodies  of  both  of  them.  Roseleaf  went,  very  slowly, 
along  the  path,  till  he  came  near  a  fence,  and 
then,  diverging  from  it,  drew  himself  quietly  into  a 
thick  copse,  motioning  Weil  to  follow.  Here  the 


384  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

leader  sank  to  the  ground,  with  a  motion  which  indi* 
cated  that  the  journey  was  temporarily,  at  least,  at 
an  end,  and  the  second  member  of  the  party  followed 
his  example. 

Half  an  hour  passed  with  nothing  to  indicate  the 
reason  for  these  most  peculiar  actions.  Half  an 
hour  that  was  interminable  to  Mr.  Weil,  torn  with  a 
thousand  fears  as  to  what  it  might  all  portend.  At 
last,  however,  a  faint  sound  broke  the  stillness. 
Some  one  was  approaching.  Roseleaf  touched  the 
shoulder  of  his  companion  to  indicate  the  necessity 
of  absolute  silence. 

Hardly  ten  feet  away  there  passed  a  tall,  athletic 
form,  walking  with  a  quick  stride,  as  of  one  who  has 
no  suspicion  that  he  is  watched  by  unfriendly  eyes. 
As  the  man's  face  became  visible  in  the  moonlight  it 
was  well  that  Roseleaf  had  a  pressure  of  warning  on 
his  companion's  shoulder.  It  was  almost  impossible 
for  the  latter  to  restrain  an  exclamation  that  would 
have  ruined  everything. 

It  was  the  face  of  Hannibal,  the  negro  ! 

Horrified,  Archie  turned  his  bloodshot  eyes  toward 
Roseleaf.  What  could  this  strange  visit  of  Han- 
nibal's to  that  vicinity  presage  ?  Did  he  intend  ta 
murder  the  master  of  the  house  and  abduct  the 
daughter  ?  What  was  he  doing  there,  at  an  hour 
not  much  short  of  midnight?  The  terrors  of  hii 
previous  imaginings  gave  way  to  yet  more  horrible. 
ones. 

But  the  mute  appeal  that  he  shot  at  his  com- 
panion produced  no  answer,  except  a  resolute  shakt 


rt  i  PLAYED  AHD"  i  LOST;**  285 

of  the  head — an  absolute  prohibition  against  the 
least  sound  or  movement. 

Hannibal  reached  the  fence  and,  without  any 
attempt  at  concealment,  climbed  over  it  into  the 
enclosure  where  were  situated  the  house  and  out- 
buildings of  the  Oakhurst  estate.  He  acted  like  one 
who  knows  his  ground  and  has  no  occasion  to  pick 
his  way.  He  went,  however,  but  a  little  farther  in 
the  direction  of  the  residence.  In  a  place  where  the 
shadow  of  a' smokehouse  hid  him  from  the  possible 
view  of  any  one  looking  from  the  windows,  he 
waited  in  an  attitude  of  expectation. 

The  difficulty  of  controlling  himself  grew  stronger 
and  stronger  for  Archie  Weil.  He  wanted  to  end 
this  terrible  doubt — to  spring  over  that  fence,  pinion 
this  fellow  by  the  throat  and  demand  what  business 
he  had  on  those  premises  at  that  hour.  Roseleaf 
realized  all  that  was  passing  in  his  mind,  and  kept 
his  hand  still  on  his  shoulder,  at  the  same  time  warn- 
ing him  by  signs  that  the  least  movement  would 
ruin  everything.  It  seemed  to  Archie,  when  he 
thought  it  over  afterward,  that  he  had  never  endured 
such  pain.  He  knew  beyond  reasonable  doubt  that 
Hannibal  was  awaiting  some  one  by  appointment. 
Who  could  it  be  ?  That  was  the  stupendous  ques- 
tion that  Roseleaf  might  have  answered  in  a  whisper, 
but  that  he  preferred  for  some  mysterious  reason  his 
friend  should  discover  in  the  natural  course  of  events. 
And  that  course  was  horribly,  torturously  slow  ! 

Everything  has  an  end,  and  the  dread  of  the 
watcher  changed  to  another  feeling  as  he  saw  dis- 
tinctly one  of  the  outer  doors  of  the  residence  open 


2S6  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

and  Daisy  Fern's  form  come  out.  Without  glancing 
to  the  right  or  the  left  she  walked  in  the  direction 
where  the  negro  was  waiting.  For  an  instant,  over- 
come by  his  apprehensions,  Archie  closed  both  his 
eyes  in  despair.  The  voice  of  Roseleaf  was  at  last 
heard  in  his  ear,  a  whisper  nearly  inaudible,  con- 
juring him  not  to  betray  his  presence  whatever  the 
provocation. 

When  Archie  opened  his  eyes  again  he  saw  that 
Hannibal  stood  in  an  attitude  of  respect.  When  the 
girl  approached  he  bowed,  without  offering  any 
more  intimate  courtesy.  Daisy  had  the  look  of  one 
who  has  made  up  her  mind  to  endure  an  unpleasant 
interview  and  desires  to  end  it  as  quickly  as  possible. 

"Well  ?"  she  said,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  I  am  going  to-morrow,"  he  replied,  in  a  voice 
that  shook  with  emotion. 

"Yes." 

"  And,  as  I  told  you,  I  want  to  say  good-by  once 
more." 

Archie  breathed  a  trifle  easier.  He  could  not  teh 
what  fears  had  crowded  upon  him — they  were  indis. 
tinct  in  their  horribleness — but  some  of  them  had 
already  flown. 

"  You  are  as  cold  as  ever,"  continued  the  ricK 
voice  of  the  negro,  in  a  cadence  that  was  meant  to  be 
reproachful. 

"Do  you  think  I  could  be  anything  else  ?"  was  the 
quick  reply,  as  if  forced  from  lips  that  had  meant  to 
remain  silent.  "  Has  your  conduct  been  such  as  to 
make  me  like  or  respect  you  ?" 

Th«  negro's  eyes  fell  before  her  indignant  gaze, 


**I   PLATED    AND    I    LOST."  987 

"  No,'*  he  answered,  humbly.  "  I  expect  nothing  ; 
I  ask  nothing.  I  can  see  my  mistakes  now.  And 
yet,  it  would  have  been  no  different  had  I  played  the 
part  of  an  angel  toward  you.  The  entire  question 
with  you  was  settled  in  advance  by  the  fact  that  my 
skin  was  black. 

The  pressure  on  Weil's  shoulder  grew  heavier, 
from  time  to  time,  as  his  companion  realized  his 
temptation  to  break  from  his  covert. 

"  If  it  had  been  as  white  as  any  man's  who  ever 
lived,"  replied  Daisy,  boldly,  "your  conduct  would 
have  earned  the  contempt  of  a  self-respecting  per- 
son !  A  blackmailer,  an  abductor,  a  conspirator 
against  the  peace  of  mind  of  an  old  man  and  a.  young 
girl  who  never  harmed  you  !  I  wonder  you  can  talk 
of  other  reasons  when  you  created  so  many  by  your 
wicked  acts!" 

Hannibal  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  It  is  true,  nevertheless,"  he  replied.  *  I  am  a 
negro.  In  a  moment  of  insanity  I  dreamed  I  was  a 
Man  !  I  dreamed  I  might  gain  for  my  wife  a  woman 
whose  ancestors  had  been  born  in  a  more  northerly 
clime  than  my  own.  To  gain  that  end  I  took  the 
only  course  that  seemed  open.  I  possessed  myself 
of  an  influence  that  would  make  her  father  fear  me. 
Well,  I  played  and  I  lost — and  then,  like  other  play- 
ers and  losers,  even  white  ones,  I  was  desperate. 
You  were  to  be  married  to  another — a  man  1  hated. 
Life  had  lost  its  only  charm,  I  could  not  bear  that 
you  should  be  his  bride.  My  torture  was  intense.  I 
asked  but  for  death/' 


288  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

These  revelations,  so  novel  to  at  least  one  of  the 
listeners,  smote  him  with  terrific  force. 

"  You  asked  for  more  !"  said  the  girl,  hoarsely. 
"  You  asked  for  my  death  as  well  as  your  own.  And 
you  wanted  me  to  die  in  such  a  situation  that  all  the 
world  would  say  I  had  perished  willingly  with  you. 
Could  anything  more  cowardly  be  conceived  !  Was 
anything  more  dastardly  ever  devised  !  It  was  the 
morning  of  my  wedding  day;  my  father  was  wait- 
ing for  me  at  home  ;  my  promised  husband  was  pre- 
paring for  the  bridal  ;  my  friends  were  invited  to 
the  ceremony.  What  were  all  these  to  you  ?  With 
Mephistophelian  cunning  you  sent  me  a  letter  in  an- 
other person's  handwriting,  saying  that,  if  I  would 
come  to  a  certain  address,  and  pay  fifty  dollars,  sev- 
eral forged  notes  given  by  my  father  would  be  re- 
turned to  me.  You  knew  I  would  respond.  You 
knew  I  would  tell  no  one  where  I  was  going,  as  I 
did  not  expect  to  be  detained  more  than  an  hour, 
and  there  was  apparently  the  strongest  reasons  for 
secrecy.  And  when  I  was  completely  in  your  clutches 
you  gave  me  the  alternative  of  marrying  you — ugh  ! 
— or  of  taking  the  poison  you  had  so  carefully  pre- 
pared. Oh,  how  could  you  !  how  «ndd  you,  when 
you  professed  to  like  me  !" 

There  was  a  low  gurgle  in  Archie  Weil's  throat, 
that  he  could  not  suppress.  Fearful  that  it  might 
be  heard  in  that  dead  silence,  Roseleaf  shook  his 
companion  slightly.  Mingled  with  his  other  emo- 
tions there  now  came  to  Weil  a  stupefied  wonder  at 
the  apparent  coolness  of  the  novelist. 

**  When  one  is  willing  to  die  for  his  love,  it  should 


"  I  PLATED   AND   I   LOST."  289 

not  be  questioned,"  said  the  negro.  "  I  could  not 
have  you  in  life — I  wanted  you  in  death.  I  wanted 
the  world,  which  had  despised  me,  to  think  a  beauti- 
ful woman  had  preferred  to  die  with  me  rather  than 
marry  a  man  she  did  not  wish  to  wed.  But  why 
should  we  recall  that  dreadful  day  and  night  ?  You 
won  the  victory.  You,  with  your  superior  finesse, 
triumphed  over  the  African  as  your  race  has  always 
triumphed  over  mine.  I  demanded  love  or  death. 
You  dissuaded  me  from  both.  And  the  next  day  I 
permitted  you  to  depart,  and  saw  vanish  with  you 
the  last  hope  of  happiness  I  shall  ever  feel," 

The  rich  voice  of  the  speaker  broke  completely  at 
the  close,  but  the  girl  who  heard  him  seemed  to  feel 
no  sympathy  for  his  distress. 

"Always  yourself!"  she  exclaimed.  "Do  you 
ever  think  of  the  life  you  left  to  me — a  life  hardly 
more  kind  than  the  murder  you  contemplated.  Be- 
fore you  opened  the  portals  that  you  had  meant 
for  my  tomb  you  made  me  swear  never  to  reveal 
where  I  had  passed  those  hours.  Never,  no  matter 
what  the  provocation,  was  I  to  utter  one  word  to 
implicate  you  in  the  tragedy  that  had  ruined  two 
households.  You  were  the  one  to  be  protected — / 
the  one  to  suffer  !  Had  it  not  been  for  the  sacrifice 
to  my  reputation  in  being  found  there  with  you 
dead — no  explanation  being  possible  from  my  closed 
lips — I  would  have  accepted  the  alternative  and 
swallowed  the  poison  rather  than  live  to  bear  what  I 
do  to-day!"  , 

Weil  closed  his  eyes  again.  His  braia  was  swim- 
ming. 


290  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

"  And  you  are  sure,"  asked  the  negro,  after  a 
pause,  "  that  you  have  not  violated  that  promise  ? 
You  can  still  swear  that  you  have  never,  even  by  a 
hint,  given  the  least  cause  of  suspicion  against  me  ?" 

"  Never  1"  said  the  girl.  "  I  consider  my  oath 
binding,  notwithstanding  the  manner  in  which  it 
was  obtained.  You  may  live  in  what  peace  your 
conscience  allows  you,  free  at  least  from  that  fear." 

The  negro  evidently  believed  her,  for  he  heaved  a 
sigh  of  relief. 

<l  Well,  good-by,"  he  said. 

"  Good-by,"  she  replied.  "And — you  are  not  to 
come  again,  remember.  There  is  nothing  to  be 
gained  from  another  meeting  between  us.  If — if 
you  want  money — I  can  send  it  to  you." 

He  lifted  his  head  rather  proudly  at  the  last  sug- 
gestion. 

"  I  do  not  want  any,"  he  said.  "  I  am  not  low 
enough  for  that.  I  took  the  sum  from  you  to  go  to 
France,  because  I  hoped — in  my  infatuation — that  I 
could  make  myself  something  that  you  would  not 
despise.  If  I  had  wanted  money  I  could  have  got 
thousands  out  of  your  father,  and  I  could  still,  not- 
withstanding the  pretence  of  those  men  that  they 
wrote  the  signatures  I  saw  him  forge.  No,  I  mean 
to  give  you  back  what  I  had  from  you,  if  ever  I  can 
compose  my  mind  enough  to  go  to  work  and  earn 
it.  I  have  no  ambition.  I  stay  in  my  mother's 
cabin,  day  after  day,  unable  to  make  the  least  effort. 
Perhaps  I  can  do  something — in  time." 

The  negro  took  a  step  away, and  then  turned,  as  if 
unable  to  go  so  abruptly. 


"l   PLAYED   AND   I    LOST."  201 

"  Good-by,"  he  said,  again. 

"  Good-by,"  answered  Daisy,  impassively.  "  I 
want  to  tell  you,  now  I  think  of  it,  where  I  got  that 
$1,000  I  gave  you.  It  was  lent  to  me  by  the  man 
you  hated  so,  Mr.  Roseleaf." 

Hannibal  did  not  seem  to  care  for  this  informa- 
tion. 

"  He  did  not  lend  it  for  any  good-will  to  me,"  he 
replied.  "  I  have  heard,  by-the-way,  that  he  did  not 
mind  losing  you — this  man  for  whom  you  spurned  a 
heart  that  worshiped  your  very  footprints.  I  believe 
some  day  I'll  take  a  shot  at  him." 

The  girl  shuddered. 

"  It  would  be  like  you,"  she  said,  "  if  no  one 
was  looking,  and  he  did  not  know  of  your  presence. 
I  don't  believe,  with  all  your  claims,  there  is  a  manly 
trait  in  you." 

The  tall  form  drew  itself  up  and  the  athletic  arms 
were  folded  firmly. 

"  Take  care  !"  said  the  red  lips,  sharply,  and  the 
ivory  white  teeth  gleamed. 

"  Oh,  I  am  not  afraid,"  replied  Daisy.  "My  maid 
is  watching  us  from  behind  the  blinds  of  my  room. 
I  told  her  my  own  story  about  why  I  was  to  meet 
you,  but  should  harm  happen  to  me  the  alarm  bell 
would  ring  out." 

Startled  visibly  at  this  information,  Hannibal 
glanced  in  the  direction  indicated,  and  then  began 
to  take  his  departure  in  earnest. 

"  All  right,"  he  said,  as  he  mounted  the  fence. 
"  Keep  your  word  and  I'll  keep  mine.  But  if  you 
play  any  tricks,  remember  that's  a  game  for  two." 


292  A   BLACK.   ADONIS. 

The  men  could  not  arise  without  startling  Daisy, 
who  would  undoubtedly  have  uttered  a  loud  scream 
had  they  suddenly  appeared  before  her  vision.  They 
saw  her  stand  there  for  at  least  ten  minutes,  before 
she  went  into  the  house.  When  she  was  out  of  sig)->t, 
Weil  crawled  into  a  safer  place  and  rose  to  his  feet, 

"  I  am  going  to  follow  that  cur  !"  he  muttered,  be* 
tween  his  teeth. 

"  To-morrow  is  soon  enough,"  was  the  calm  reply 
of  his  friend.  "  I  know  where  he  lives." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

ABSOLUTELY    BLAMELESS. 

Most  men  who  are  by  nature  excitable  surprise 
tkeir  friends  on  occasions  by  exhibiting  great  calm- 
ness. Shirley  Roseleaf,  who  had  often  been  thrown 
into  the  greatest  heat  by  far  less  important  happen- 
ings than  the  one  just  narrated,  seemed  a  picture  of 
repose  as  he  walked  through  the  wood  with  his 
friend  in  the  direction  of  the  horses  they  had  teth- 
ered. 

"  How  did  you  discover  they  were  going  to  have  this 
meeting  ?"  asked  Weil,  nervously.  "  I  am  all  at  sea.*' 

"  I  have  been  on  his  track  ever  since  the  day  I  was 
to  have  been  married,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  didn't  in- 
tend to  leave  a  mystery  like  that  unsolved.  I  dis- 
covered that  the  Ferns  were  living  here,  and  that 


ABSOLUTELY    BLAMELB8S.  293 

Hannibal  originated  a  few  miles  further  on.  I  found 
that  Miss  Daisy  was  still  a  little  afraid  of  him,  that 
he  was  using  an  influence  over  her  which  was  to  say 
the  least  strange.  Before  I  got  at  the  truth  I  had 
some  queer  misgivings,  you  may  believe." 

Mr.  Weil  stared  at  his  companion. 

"  But  how  did  you  learn  all  this  ?"  he  demanded. 

"  Oh,"  said  Roseleaf,  with  a  slight  laugh,  "  I've 
been  in  this  neighborhood  for  two  months.  They 
haven't  met  once  but  I  heard  every  word  they  said. 
Little  by  little  I  gained  the  truth  of  the  matter. 
And  to-night,  as  it  was  perhaps  the  last  time  they 
would  be  together,  I  wanted  you  to  understand  it 
perfectly." 

Archie  frowned  at  the  thoughts  that  crept  in  upon 
his  brain. 

"  Excuse  me  for  saying  that  you  don't  appear  to 
mind  it  much,"  he  muttered.  "  If  you  have  heard 
many  conversations  like  the  one  to  which  I  just 
listened,  and  could  go  away  without  expressing  the 
thoughts  you  ought  to  feel,  you  are  made  up  differ- 
ently from  me." 

"  That  may  be  so,  too,"  smiled  the  other,  good- 
humoredly.  "  But  rememberthatthings  are  changed. 
I  once  was  a  man  in  love— now  I  am  simply  a  writer 
of  romance." 

The  elder  man  shivered. 

"  Could  one  be  actually  in  love  with  a  girl  like  that 
and  then  recover  from  it  v'  he  asked,  half  to  himself. 

"  I  don't  think  I  ever  was  very  much  in  love,"  was 
the  quick  reply.  "But  never  mind  that.  Let  us 
talk  of  Hannibal.  You  spoke  of  going  after  him. 


2&4  A    BLACK    ADONIS. 

What  would  you  have  done  had  you  carried  out  that 
intention  ?" 

Weil  had  not  thought  of  the  matter  in  this  con- 
crete form.  He  had  wanted  to  punish  the  negro  for 
his  crimes  against  the  woman  he  so  dearly  loved, 
against  the  old  man  for  whom  he  had  such  a  warm 
affection.  How  he  would  have  accomplished  this  he 
had  not  decided.  The  first  thing  was  to  follow  and 
tax  the  wretch  with  his  offense.  Subsequent  events 
would  have  depended  on  the  way  Hannibal  met  the 
accusation.  Certainly  the  temper  of  the  pursuer 
would  have  been  warm,  and  his  conduct  might  have 
been  severe. 

"I  don't  know,"  he  said.  "I  should  have  told 
him  for  one  thing  that  he  would  have  to  reckon  with 
something  more  than  a  weak  girl  or  a  poor  old  man 
if  he  annoyed  that  family  again.  In  case  he  had 
been  impertinent  I  cannot  say  what  I  might  have 
been  tempted  to  do." 

"  All  the  more  reason  for  congratulating  yourself," 
replied  Roseleaf,  as  they  reached  the  horses,  "that 
you  did  not  follow  him.  He  has  promised  to  keep 
away  from  the  Ferns,  and  I  think  they  have  seen  the 
last  of  him.  What  is  done  can't  be  undone,  ugly  as 
it  is.  Now,"  he  continued,  vaulting  into  his  saddle, 
"your  course  is  reasonably  plain.  You  must  visit 
Miss  Daisy  soon,  let  her  know  that  the  extent  of  her 
misfortune  is  in  your  possession,  and  after  a  reason- 
able time,  ask  her  to  marry  you." 

Archie  Weil,  who  had  also  mounted  his  horse, 
came  near  falling  from  the  back  of  the  animal  at 
this  very  abrupt  suggestion. 


.1BBGLTJTELY  BLAMXtBBI.  295 

"  That  is  just  what  you  should  do,"  continued 
Roseleaf,  without  allowing  him  to  speak.  "  You  are 
desperately  in  love.  Daisy  likes  you  very  well,  and 
it  would  take  but  little  effort  on  your  part  to  induce 
even  a  warmer  sentiment.  Her  father  thinks  you 
one  of  the  angels  that  came  down  to  earth  and 
forgot  to  return  to  heaven.  She  ought  not  to  go 
through  life  alone.  Her  only  trouble  is  the  suspicion 
that  rests  on  her  name — a  suspicion  she  considers 
herself  bound  in  honor  to  do  nothing  to  lift.  Show 
her  that  you  know  how  innocent  she  is,  and  you  will 
bring  a  new  light  to  her  eyes,  a  new  smile  to  her 
lips." 

"  But,"  asked  Archie,  catching  at  the  straw,  "how 
can  I  tell  her — how  can  I  explain  the  source  of  my 
information  ?" 

Roseleaf  laughed. 

"  By  the  novel  method  of  using  the  truth,  or  at 
least  a  part  of  it,"  he  said.  "  Tell  her  you  were  out 
riding  and  saw  Hannibal,  and  followed  him.  You 
needn't  count  me  into  it.  Why,  you've  got  to  let  her 
know,  or  else  I  have.  It's  a  thing  she  would  almost 
give  her  life  to  have  revealed  without  her  aid.  Go 
like  a  man  and  take  that  heavy  weight  off  her  young 
soul." 

Finally  Weil  consented.  He  would  not  discuss 
the  question  of  whether  he  would  afterwards  speak 
of  the  hope  that  lay  nearest  his  heart.  But  he  would 
go  to  her,  as  Roseleaf  suggested,  and  relieve  her  of 
the  strain  that  had  worn  so  deeply.  He  would  go 
the  very  next  day.  The  «ooner  it  was  accomplished 
the  better.  The  more  he  thought  of  it  the  more  de- 


206  A  BLACK    ADONIS. 

lighted  he  grew  that  he  could  carry  such  tidings. 
He  could  make  Daisy  happier.  That  was  enough 
for  him — at  present.  If  he  could  make  himself 
happy  at  a  future  date — but  there  was  time  enough 
for  that. 

He  sat  upright  in  his  saddle  and  exulted  as  his 
horse  bounded  nimbly  over  the  ground.  Why  was 
it  not  already  day,  that  he  might  turn  the  beast  in 
the  opposite  direction  !  The  hours  would  be  very 
long  before  the  sun  rose  and  he  could  start  on  his 
joyful  errand.  The  sombre  hue  of  his  countenance 
disappeared  before  the  contentment  that  began  to 
fill  his  breast. 

He  slept  well,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  he 
expected  to  lie  awake  all  night  when  he  retired.  In 
the  morning,  on  going  down  to  breakfast,  he  found 
that  Shirley  had  left  still  earlier,  leaving  word  that 
he  had  started  on  a  quest  for  game.  Weil  did  not 
mind.  He  had  enough  before  him  for  one  day.  He 
was  going  to  see  Daisy,  and  he  had  that  to  tell  which 
would  lighten  the  load  she  had  so  long  felt  com- 
pelled to  carry. 

He  waited  until  after  nine  o'clock,  feeling  that 
some  regard  must  be  paid  to  les  convenances,  even  on 
such  an  important  occasion  as  this.  When  he  was  in 
the  saddle  he  rode  as  slowly  as  he  could  bring  him- 
self to  do,  to  make  his  arrival  still  later.  At  last  he 
reached  the  gate  of  Oakhurst,  and  when  he  had  sum- 
moned the  porter  he  sent  him  for  Mr.  Fern,  stating 
that  he  had  happened  to  ride  in  that  direction  and 
wanted  merely  to  make  a  short  call. 

It  was  but  a  few  minutes  before  the  servant  re- 


ABSOLUTELY   BLAMELESS.  297 

turned,  and  the  hospitable  master  of  the  premises 
came  with  him.  Mr.  Fern  upraided  Weil  for  using 
so  much  ceremony,  remarking  that  although  he  was 
living  in  a  retired  way,  there  was  always  one  friend 
he  was  glad  to  see.  Giving  up  the  horse,  Archie 
accompanied  his  host  to  the  house,  where  the  latter 
said  he  would  send  at  once  for  Daisy. 

"  A  minute,"  interpolated  Archie.  "  I  want  a  little 
talk  with  you  first,  alone." 

Mr.  Fern  looked  up  curiously.  He  believed  he 
knew  what  his  visitor  was  about  to  say.  He  had 
long  suspected  the  feelings  which  Archie  entertained 
for  Daisy.  He  knew  also  that  his  daughter  would 
consent  to  wed  no  man,  no  matter  who,  while  there 
hung  over  her  fair  fame  the  terrible  mystery  of  her 
wedding  night. 

"  I  want  to  tell  you,"  pursued  Archie,  before  his 
host  could  interrupt,  "  that  I  have  made  a  great  dis- 
covery— one  of  the  utmost  moment  to  your  family. 
I  know  what  happened  on  that  day  so  sad  to  all  of 
us,  and — listen  to  me,  Mr.  Fern  ! — I  know  that  your 
child  is  absolutely  blameless  in  the  matter." 

The  listener's  face  grew  very  white.  He  under- 
stood imperfectly,  but  it  seemed  to  him  that  a  tale 
he  could  not  bear  to  hear  was  about  to  be  forced 
upon  him. 

"Mr.  Weil,"  he  said,  earnestly,  " I  hope  you  will 
not  continue  this  subject.  I  do  not  know  what 
occurred — I  do  not  wish  to  know.  I  have  consulted 
my  daughter's  sentiments  entirely.  She  prefers  to 
have  the  veil  unlifted,  and  I  respect  her  wish." 


298  A   BLACK   ADONI8. 

The  visitor  could  hardly  contain  himself  for  im- 
patience. 

"  That  has  been  true  hitherto,"  he  replied.  "  But 
Miss  Daisy  herself  will  be  more  than  delighted  when 
she  knows  I  am  aware  of  the  entire  facts — which  she 
has  been  prevented,  by  a  promise  extracted  from  her, 
from  revealing.  Call  her,  let  me  tell  her  that  I 
know  everything,  and  how  I  know  it,  and  you  will 
fee  the  happiest  girl  in  America." 

Mr.  Fern  shook  his  head  doubtfully.  He  was 
much  afraid  of  doing  something  to  injure  Daisy's 
feelings.  He  could  not  believe  she  wanted  to  have 
ihe  trouble  that  had  crushed  her  raked  up  by  any 
one.  Archie  persisted,  however,  and  his  arguments 
it  last  won  the  day. 

"  You  do  not  think  I  would  come  here  with  any 
tidings  I  did  not  believe  agreeable  ?"  he  said,  inter- 
rogatively. "  You  know  I  care  too  much  for — for 
both  of  you — to  do  that." 

When  Miss  Daisy  was  summoned,  which  she  was 
at  last,  and  Mr.  Weil  gently  let  drop  a  hint  of  what 
he  had  to  tell,  the  girl  was  hardly  less  agitated  than 
her  father  had  been.  Instead,  however,  as  the  vis- 
itor expected,  of  relying  on  her  natural  protector 
during  the  expected  recital,  she  whispered  to  Mr. 
Fern,  who  obediently  rose  and  let  her  lead  him  out 
of  the  room.  Presently  she  returned,  and  took  a 
chair  opposite  to  Mr.  Weil.  Her  face  was  so 
pathetic,  her  attitude  so  entreating,  that  he  quite 
forgot  what  he  had  come  to  tell,  and  leaning  to- 
ward h«r,  took  h«r  hands  in  his. 


ABSOWJTfcLY   BLAJfBLBM.  9 

"  Daisy,*  he  said,  a  I— I — "  and  he  could  go  no 
further. 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  she  answered,  in  a  low  voice. 
"  But  there  is  a  reason  why  I  cannot  listen  to  you.  I 
have  told  you  that  before.  I  ought  not  even  to  say 
as  much  as  this.  I  should  not  even  remain  in  the 
room  while  you  explain  the  least  thing." 

He  choked  down  the  rising  in  his  throat  and  has- 
tened, lest  she  should  follow  literally  the  sentiment 
she  had  outlined  and  leave  him  to  himself. 

"  This  has  all  been  true,  until  now,"  he  said.  "  You 
were  under  a  promise,  an  oath.  But — Daisy,  last 
night  I  heard  all  that  passed  between  you  and  your 
persecutor,  and  there  is  no  longer  any  need  for  mys- 
tery between  us." 

She  gasped,  as  if  her  breath  was  going. 

"  You — you  heard  !" 

"  Everything.  I  was  within  forty  feet  of  you. 
Are  you  sorry  that  the  awful  cloud  is  blown  away — 
that  your  perfect  innocence  is  proved  without  a. 
violation  of  your  plighted  word  ?" 

For  the  girl  was  crying,  slowly,  without  hysteria, 
crying  with  both  her  hands  tightly  clasped  over  her 
eyes. 

"  /  did  not  need  it,  not  I,"  continued  the  man, 
earnestly.  "  I  knew  you  had  done  nothing  of  your 
free  will  that  the  whole  world  might  not  know.  But 
I  knew,  too,  that  you  would  be  pleased  to  have  your 
innocence  established.  And  I  was  glad  for  another 
reason.  I  love  you,  Daisy.  I  have  loved  you  a  very 
long  time.  Your  sister  was  right  in  that.  Had  you 
not  shown  such  a  marked  preference  for  my  friend  I 


300  A  BLACK   ADONIS. 

wouid  have  done  my  best  to  win  you,  months  and 
months  ago.  While  you  felt  that  you  were  an  ob- 
ject of  suspicion  I  knew  you  would  not  consent  to 
be  my  wife,  Now,  that  obstacle  is  gone  and—Daisy 
— I  want  you." 

The  hands  were  withdrawn  from  the  tear-stained 
face,  a  handkerchief  was  hastily  passed  over  it,  and 
Daisy  turned  half  away  from  the  speaker. 

"  You  will  not  refuse,  my  love,"  he  murmured, 
bending  again  toward  her,  "  You  will  promise?" 

One  of  her  hands  strayed  toward  him,  and  was 
clasped  joyfully  in  his  own. 

"  But,  in  relation  to  that  other  matter,"  said  Daisy, 
some  moments  later,  when  the  sweet  tokens  of  love 
had  been  given  and  taken,  "  I  must  be  as  silent  as 
before.  I  have  listened  to  you,  but  I  have  not  re- 
plied. You  can  understand  the  reason.  Never 
speak  of  it  to  me  again,  if  you  do  not  wish  to  inflict 
pain.  It  is  something  I  cannot  discuss." 

"I  may  tell  your  father,  though,"  he  whispered. 

"  It  would  be  best  not.  He  is  content  now.  No, 
I  beg  you,  say  nothing  to  any  one," 

And  he  promised,  like  the  lover  he  was,  and  sealed 
it  with  another  kiss  on  her  pure  mouth. 

"  I  may  tell  him  of — of  our  love  ?"  he  asked, 

"  Oh,  yes ;  we  will  tell  him  of  that  together;" 


TRAPPING  A   WOLt.  301 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

TRAPPING   A   WOLB1. 

When  Shirley  Roseleaf  left  the  hotel  that  morning 
he  carried  a  fishing  rod,  a  rifle,  a  gamebag  and 
other  acoutreraent3  of  the  sportsman.  In  his  earlier 
years,  before  he  ever  came  to  the  city,  he  had  been 
accounted  something  of  an  expert  with  these  imple- 
ments. Since  being  in  this  country  where  there  was 
so  much  to  tempt  a  Nimrod  he  had  made  a  number 
of  similar  excursions.  Although  it  was  some  dis- 
tance to  the  locality  where  he  intended  to  go  the 
young  man  did  not  take  a  conveyance  Of  any  kind. 
He  walked  briskly  over  the  road,  breathing  the  pure 
air  of  that  early  hour,  and  whistling  in  a  low  tone  to 
himself  as  he  went  along. 

Among  the  other  things  he  carried  was  a  light 
lunch,  for  he  did  not  care  to  break  his  fast  so 
early  in  the  day.  H«  had,  besides,  a  contrivance 
for  making  coffee  and  for  broiling  the  fish  he 
expected  to  catch.  Even  if  his  jaunt  lasted  till  night 
his  physical  needs  were  well  provided  for.  One 
would  not  have  imagined,  to  see  his  free  and  easy 
swing  over  the  road,  that  he  had  anything  of  greater 
moment  on  his  mind  than  to  watch  for  some  stray 
rabbit,  or  a  possible  deer  track. 

Not  less  than  six  miles  from  his  starting  point,  he 
came  to  a  small  lake,  to  reach  which  he  had  followed 
a  narrow  path  that  led  through  the  wood*  On  the 


302  A  BLACK  ADONIS. 

shore  was  a  primitive  rowboat,  or  rather  canoe, 
which  he  had  purchased  on  another  occasion  from  a 
native  for  an  insignificant  price.  Into  this  boat  the 
novelist  stepped,  and  after  safely  depositing  his  traps, 
took  up  the  paddle  and  used  it  skillfully.  When  he 
had  reached  approximately  the  centre  of  the  lake,  he 
sat  down,  prepared  his  fishing  tackle  and  began  to 
angle  for  the  denizens  of  the  water  below. 

With  the  patience  of  a  true  fisherman  Roseleaf  sat 
quietly  for  two  hours,  during  which  time  he  had 
drawn  out  but  few  specimens.  The  long  walk  had, 
however,  given  him  the  appetite  he  needed,  and  he 
now  pulled  his  frail  craft  toward  the  shore,  with  the 
intention  of  lighting  a  fire  and  preparing  a  meal.  But 
even  when  he  had  nearly  reached  land  he  saw  splinters 
flying  beneath  his  feet,  and  immediately  after  heard  a 
dull  sound  which  showed  what  had  caused  the 
trouble. 

A  stray  bullet,  from  some  careless  hunter,  had 
penetrated  his  canoe.  The  hole  was  large  enough  to 
render  the  boat  useless,  for  the  water  began  to  come 
in  rapidly.  With  two  more  stout  movements  of  the 
paddle  Roseleaf  forced  his  craft  against  the  shore  and 
sprang  upon  dry  land.  Then  he  quietly  picked  up 
the  things  he  had  brought  with  him,  and  walked  a 
little  away  from  the  scene. 

"  These  fellows  are  getting  altogether  too  care- 
less/' he  muttered,  as  he  inspected  his  damp  belong- 
ings. "  A  little  more  and  that  thing  would  have 
been  tearing  splinters  in  me." 

Scraping  some  dead  wood  together,  he  soon  had  a 
fire  started,  and  the  cooking  of  his  breakfast  was 


TRAPPING   A   WOLF.  303 

begun.  He  went  about  the  work  methodically, 
whistling  again  in  that  low  key  he  had  used  when  on 
the  way  from  his  hotel,  and  stopping  now  and  then 
as  the  noise  of  a  woodbird  or  some  wild  quadruped 
of  the  smaller  kind  came  to  his  ears.  He  sniffed  the 
coffee  that  was  boiling  furiously  and  the  freshly 
caught  fish  that  sent  out  an  appetizing  aroma.  No 
meal  served  at  the  Hoffman,  the  Imperial  or  the  far- 
famed  Delmonico  restaurant,  could  equal  this  primi- 
tive repast,  for  him. 

Finally,  all  was  ready.  Helping  himself  to  a  large 
plateful  of  the  delicious  food,  and  pouring  out  a 
huge  tin  cup  of  the  coffee,  Roseleaf  sat  down  as  if 
to  take  his  ease  while  breakfasting.  But,  instead  of 
touching  the  viands  he  had  been  at  such  pains  to 
prepare,  the  next  thing  he  did  was  to  fall  prone  on 
the  ground.  And  at  the  same  instant  a  second  bullet 
whizzed  past  him  and  buried  itself  with  a  tearing  of 
bark  and  wood  in  the  tree  just  behind  him. 

If  Roseleaf  had  laid  down  with  suddenness  he  rose 
with  no  less  speed.  As  he  sprang  to  his  feet  he 
picked  up  his  rifle.  He  made  a  dozen  steps  for- 
ward, and  then,  bringing  the  weapon  to  his  shoulder, 
cried  to  some  one  in  front  of  him  : 

"  Halt,  or  I  fire  !" 

A  human  form  that  had  been  creeping  away  on  its 
hands  and  knees,  now  stood  upright.  It  was  perhaps 
thirty  yards  from  the  speaker,  and  when  it  faced  him 
he  saw  that  the  countenance  was  black. 

"  Don't  come  any  nearer  and  don't  go  any  farther 
off,"  said  the  novelist,  gravely.  "  You  are  at  a  con- 


304  A.   BLACK   ADONIS. 

venient  distance.  I  can  shoot  you  best  where  you 
stand." 

The  negro  looked  considerably  crestfallen.  He 
seemed  doubtful  whether  to  break  and  run  or  stay 
and  try  to  face  it  out. 

"I  can't  help  an  accident,". he  said,  at  last,  when 
the  other  remained  covering  him  with  the  rifle. 

"No,"  was  the  answer.  "An  accident  is  liable  to 
happen  to  any  one,  they  say.  But  two  accidents,  of 
the  same  kind,  on  the  same  day— accidents  that 
might  either  of  them  have  been  fatal  if  you  were  not 
such  an  awfully  bad  marksman — are  too  many. 
When  /get  ready  to  fire,  there  will  be  no  accident." 

The  negro  was  plainly  uneasy.  He  cast  his  eyes 
on  the  ground  and  writhed. 

"  You  have  dropped  your  gun,"  said  Roseleaf. 
"  That  was  right.  It  would  have  incommoded  your 
flight,  and  its  only  cartridge  was  used.  You  would 
have  had  no  time  to  reload.  I  know  that  gun  very 
well  ;  I  have  heard  it  many  times  in  the  last  six 
weeks.  I  knew  the  sound  of  it  to-day  when  you 
fired  the  first  time.  A  rifle  has  a  voice,  like  a  man  ; 
did  you  know  that  ?  I  knew  it  was  your  gun  and 
that  you  were  at  the  end  of  it.  With  that  informa- 
tion in  my  possession,  of  course  you  couldn't  catch 
me  napping  twice.  I  pretended  to  watch  my  cook- 
ing, but  in  reality  I  watched  nothing  but  you. 
There  is  no  need  that  you  should  say  anything,  Han- 
nibal. You  could  not  tell  me  much,  if  you  tried." 

The  speaker  examined  his  rifle  carefully,  still  keep- 
ing the  muzzle  turned  toward  the  person  he  was 


TRIPPING    A    WOLF.  305 

addressing.  The  latter  did  not  seem  to  grow  less 
uneasy. 

"  I  spent  some  time  last  evening,"  continued  Rose- 
leaf,  presently,"  in  listening  to  a  little  conversation  you 
had  with  a  certain  young  lady  living  a  mile  or  so  fom 
this  spot.  That  surprises  you,  does  it  ?  I  thought  it 
might.  I  learned  how  you  had  ruined  her  peace  of 
mind,  how  you  had  artfully  contrived  to  make  her 
appear  the  opposite  of  jvhat  she  really  was.  Now, 
you  have  tried  twice  within  the  last  hour  to  murder 
me.  For  this  I  could  have  forgiven  you.  What  you 
did  to  that  young  woman  is,  however,  a  more  serious 
matter.  I  don't  think  anything  less  than  pulling  this 
trigger  will  expiate  that." 

He  placed  the  rifle  to  his  shoulder  again,  as  he 
spoke,  and  glanced  along  the  sight.  The  negro  half 
turned,  as  if  of  a  mind  to  attempt  an  escape,  and 
then,  realizing  the  hopelessness  of  such  a  move,  sank 
on  his  knees  and  raised  his  hands  piteously. 

"  If  you  have  anything  to  say,  be  quick  1"  said  the 
hard  voice  of  the  man  who  held  the  rifle. 

Then  Hannibal  blurted  out  his  story.  He  told 
how  he  had  been  led,  step  by  step,  to  hope  that  he 
might  rise  above  his  station,  until  the  wild  idea  en- 
tered his  brain  that  he  could  even  make  Daisy  Fern 
love  and  marry  him.  He  pleaded  the  disappoint- 
ments he  had  suffered,  the  terrible  revulsion  of  feel- 
ing he  had  undergone,  the  broken  life  he  had  been 
obliged  to  take  up.  He  did  not  want  to  be  killed. 
If  allowed  to  go  he  would  swear  by  all  that  was 
good  never  to  cross  the  path  of  the  Ferns,  or  Rose- 
leaf,  or  any  of  their  friends  again.  When  bit  en- 


306  A.    BLACK    ADONIS. 

treaties  brought  no  verbal  response  he  grew  louder 
in  his  tone,  feeling  that  something  must  be  done  to 
move  the  deaf  ears  to  which  he  addressed  his  peti- 
tion. 

"  If  I  allowed  you  to  leave  here,  you  would  try  to 
shoot  me  the  next  time  you  had  a  chance,"  said  the 
novelist.  "  I  should  merely  be  giving  my  life  in  ex- 
change for  yours,  which  I  do  not  consider  a  good 
bargain." 

"  No,  I  swear  it  before  God  !"  came  the  trembling 
words  in  reply. 

"  I  cannot  trust  you." 

A  slight  sound  attracted  the  attention  of  Roseleaf 
as  he  uttered  the  latter  words.  It  was  the  sound 
that  oars  make  when  dipped  in  water.  With  a  quick 
glance  to  one  side  he  beheld  a  rowboat,  in  which 
were  seated  Archie  Weil  and  Daisy  Fern,  and  they 
were  coming  directly  toward  him. 

"  Here  are  some  of  the  others  you  have  wronged," 
he  said,  pointing.  "  I  will  wait  to  see  if  their  opin- 
ions agree  with  mine." 

Daisy  saw  him  first,  as  Weil  was  handling  the 
oars,  and  she  called  her  companion's  attention  to 
him.  Archie  called  his  name. 

"  Come  here  !"  was  Roseleaf  s  reply.  "  I  have 
winged  a  black  duck  and  I  cannot  leave." 

A  few  more  movements  of  the  oars  brought  the 
boat  to  the  shore,  and  the  surprise  of  its  occupants 
can  be  imagined  when  they  saw  the  tableau  that 
awaited  them.  Hannibal  was  still  groveling  on  the 
earth,  and  the  attitude  of  Roseleaf  plainly  showed  the 
cause  of  the  negro's  terror. 


TRAPPING   A.   WOLF.  SOT 

"  What  has  he  done  ?"  was  the  first  question,  and 
it  was  Daisy's  voice  that  asked  it. 

"Let  him  tell,"  replied  Roseleaf,  nonchalantly. 
"  Tell  the  lady  what  you  did,  Hannibal." 

With  a  courage  born  of  his  knowledge  of  the  young 
lady's  kind  heart,  Hannibal  now  turned  his  attention 
toward  her.  He  begged  her  to  plead  with  his  would- 
be  executioner  to  give  him  one  more  chance  for  his 
life,  and  reiterated  his  promises  to  cease  meddling 
with  all  of  their  affairs  if  this  was  granted.  As  he 
spoke  Daisy  crept  nearer  to  Roseleaf 's  side,  and  when 
he  paused  for  a  moment  to  gain  breath,  she  laid  her 
fair  hand  on  the  rifle. 

41  You  would  not  kill  a  fellow  creature  r*f  she  said^ 
gently. 

*  A  fellow  creature  ?"  he  retorted.  "  No  !  But  a 
wolf,  a  snake,  a  vulture — yes." 

She  shook  her  head  slowly,  while  Mr.  Weil  looked 
on,  uncertain  what  to  do  or  say.  He  wanted  more 
than  anything  else  in  his  life  to  lay  hands  upon  the 
cause  of  all  her  woes. 

**  You  have  not  told  me  yet  what  he  has  done,*' 
she  said. 

"  He  shall  tell  you,"  replied  Roseleaf,  sharply. 
"Stand  up,  Hannibal,  and  answer  truly  the  ques- 
tions I  am  about  to  propound  to  you.'* 

The  crouching  figure  tottered  to  his  feet.  The 
negro  was  weak  from  fear. 

41  Did  you  try  twice  this  morning  to  murder  me?" 

"Yes,"  replied  the  shaking  voice.  "But  I  was 
insane  with  my  troubles— I  did  not  realize  what  I 
was  doing— I—" 


308  A   BLACK    ADONIS. 

Daisy's  slight  hand,  still  on  the  barrel  of  the  rifl», 
was  bearing  it  steadily  to  the  ground. 

"  Once,"  she  said  to  Roseleaf,  impressively,  "you 
told  me  you  loved  me !  Have  you  regard  enough 
left  to  grant  me  a  favor  *" 

He  shook  his  head. 

*•  There  are  favors,"  he  said,  "  that  are  crimes.  It 
is  one's  duty  to  exterminate  vermin,  in  the  interest 
of  the  human  race." 

But,  even  as  he  spoke,  she  was  having  her  way. 
Her  slight  strength  had  taken  the  weapon  from 
him. 

Then,  with  the  face  of  a  forgiving  angel  she  turned 
toward  the  negro  and  uttered  very  softly  one  word, 
«Go!" 

Glancing  at  the  others  to  see  if  he  might  safely 
follow  this  direction,  Hannibal  disappeared  in  the 
thick  woods  behind  him.  He  walked  with  an  un- 
steady step.  There  was  a  strange  lightness  in  his 
brain.  Some  distance  away  he  found  the  boat  in 
which  he  had  come,  and  entered  it,  staggeringly. 
Pushing  from  the  shore  with  a  feeble  touch  on  his 
paddle  he  set  out  for  his  home. 


The  negroes  who  found  his  body,  a  week  later, 
could  not  decide  whether  he  had  perished  by  acci- 
dent or  by  deliberate  intention.  The  boat  was  not 
capsized,  but  it  was  partially  filled  with  water,  indi- 
cating either  that  he  had  tried  to  sink  the  craft  or 
bad  leaned  too  heavily  to  one  side  in  something  like 


THK   GREATEST    NOVEL.  309 

a  stupor.    When  his  gun   was  discovered  on  the 

shore,  new  speculations  were  set  in  motion. 

Those  who  knew  him  recalled  that  he  had  been 
moody  for  a  long  time — in  fact,  ever  since  he  came 
from  the  north.  They  remembered  him  as  a  young 
fellow,  four  or  five  years  previous,  not  very  different 
from  his  mates  ;  and  they  had  stared  in  wonder  when 
he  returned  with  fine  clothes  and  money  in  his 
pocket.  The  dislike  between  him  and  his  old  ac- 
quaintances was  mutual.  They  could  not  under- 
stand him  ;  and  what  an  inferior  mind  does  not  com- 
prehend it  always  views  with  suspicion. 

A  grave  was  made  near  the  border  of  the  lake,  and 
the  single  word  "HANNIBAL"  was  written  on  the 
board  that  marked  the  spot.  But  later  some  envi- 
ous hand  scrawled  beneath  it : 

"  HE  WANTED  TO  BE  A  GENTLEMAN  1** 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

**  THE  GREATEST  NOVEL.** 

Archie  Weil  and  Daisy  Fern  were  married  in  June. 
There  was  no  need  of  waiting  longer.  It  was  a  case 
of  true  love  sanctified  by  suffering  and  devotion. 
The  bright  eyes  and  ruddy  cheeks  of  the  bride  tes- 
tified to  her  renewed  health  and  spirits.  The  news 
of  Hannibal's  death — albeit  it  brought  a  tear  to  her 
eyes,  had  removed  the  only  shadow  that  Stretched 
across  her  pathway. 


S10  A   BLACK  ADONIS. 

Shirley  Roseleaf  did  not  come  to  the  wedding,  to 
which  he  was  the  only  invited  guest.  He  wrote 
that  an  important  mission  from  his  magazine  made 
it  impossible  to  accept  the  invitation,  but  he  sent  a 
handsome  present  and  a  letter  to  Archie,  congratu- 
lating him  in  the  warmest  manner. 

For  some  time  Lawrence  Gouger  had  been  urging 
the  novelist  to  hasten  the  wonderful  story  that  was 
to  make  his  fortune  and  give  a  new  impetus  to  the 
house  of  Cutt  &  Slashem.  They  had  consulted  to- 
gether a  hundred  times,  and  the  thirty  chapters  al- 
ready finished  seemed  to  leave  but  a  few  weeks' 
steady  work  to  be  accomplished.  Shortly  after 
the  wedding  Gouger  went  to  Roseleaf's  rooms,  one 
evening,  and  begged  him  to  lose  no  further  time. 

"  What  is  there  to  wait  for  now  ?"  he  asked. 
"All  the  dramatic  incidents  have  occurred.  You 
only  need  to  wind  up  with  a  glory  of  fireworks,  show- 
ing virtue  triumphant  and  vice  buried  under  a  North 
Carolina  sycamore.  Come,  my  dear  boy,  when  may 
I  expect  to  see  the  work  completed  ?" 

Roseleaf  did  not  answer  for  some  seconds. 

"There  is  a  part  of  this  story  that  you  do  not 
comprehend,"  he  said,  finally.  "  A  chapter  is  yet  to 
be  written  at  which  you  have  not  guessed." 

"Indeed  !"  exclaimed  the  listener. 

"Yes,"  nodded  the  other.  "So  far  the  character 
that  is  supposed  to  represent  myself  appears  that  of 
a  heartless,  cold,  unfeeling  wretch.  Do  you  think 
I  shall  be  satisfied  to  leave  it  that  way  ?" 

The  critic  stared  at  the  speaker  in  astonish- 
ment. 


THE    GREATEST    NOVEL.  $11 

"  I— I  do  not  understand,"  he  replied. 

"  I  thought  not,"  said  Roseleaf,  soberly.  "  Well, 
this  story,  to  be  truthful,  must  do  justice  to  the  one 
who  is  supposed  to  personate  its  author.  And,  in 
the  first  place,  to  avoid  all  circumlocution,  let  me  tell 
you  there  has  never  been  a  moment  since  I  first 
loved  Daisy  Fern  that  she  has  not  been  the  dearest 
thing  on  this  earth  to  me  !" 

Mr.  Gouger  could  not  reconcile  this  statement  with 
the  events  that  had  taken  place,  and  his  puzzled 
countenance  said  as  much. 

"  I  acted  like  a  villain,  did  I  not,"  continued  Rose- 
leaf,  after  a  slight  pause,  "  when  the  news  was  brought 
that  she  had  disappeared  ?  I  seemed  to  have  no  faith 
in  her,  no  confidence  in  Archie,  no  trust  in  that  poor 
old  man,  her  father.  Why  ?  I  was  so  madly,  insanely 
in  love  that  every  possible  phantasy  got  possession  of 
my  excited  brain.  To  lose  her  was  to  deprive  me  of 
all  hope,  all  ambition,  all  care  for  life.  So  far,  I  acted 
my  real  self.  If  what  I  supposed  true  had  been 
proven  I  think  there  would  have  been  a  murder. 
Not  of  Daisy  ;  ah,  no  !  but  of  the  man  who  had 
robbed  me  of  my  treasure.  Then  I  went  to  Midlands 
with  Archie  and  I  saw  her.  I  heard  her  speak,  and 
like  a  lightning  flash  it  came  to  me.  He  was  as  hon- 
orable as  a  man  could  be  and  she  cared  more  for  him 
than  for  my  unworthy  self.  She  had  contrasted  us 
and  discovered  how  much  he  was  my  superior.  And 
I  said  to  myself  at  that  moment,  '  I  will  give  her  up  ! 
If  it  costs  me  my  happiness  as  long  as  I  live  I  will 
give  her  up  !  No  matter  what  happens,  I  will  unite 
these  people,  who  have  been  so  faithful  to  me  and 


312  A   BLACK   ADONIS. 

toward  whom  I  have  acted  the  part  of  a  cur  and  a 
coward  !' " 

The  young  man  was  speaking  with  perfect  com- 
posure, but  with  intense  earnestness. 

"The  first  thing  to  be  done,"  he  continued,  "  was 
to  take  myself  out  of  their  way.  The  next  was  to 
unravel  the  mystery  that  had  made  the  trouble.  1 
knew,  when  my  mind  had  resumed  its  natural  state, 
that,  whatever  had  occurred,  Daisy  was  blameless. 
I  knew  that  something  far  out  of  the  common  line 
had  caused  her  to  commit  the  act  which  had  cast  a 
blight  over  her  reputation.  For  weeks  I  could  find 
no  clue.  Then,  one  day,  in  the  street,  I  saw  Hanni- 
bal, the  negro  for  whom  she  had  borrowed  my  money 
and  who  I  supposed  was  still  in  France.  I  cannot 
help  the  quick  temper  I  have  inherited,  and  I  confess 
that  the  sight  of  that  fellow  aroused  my  suspicions 
against  this  girl,  only  they  took  a  new  and  more  hor- 
rible form. 

"I  remembered  distinctly  what  a  strong  hold  Han- 
nibal had  on  the  Fern  family.  I  recalled,  with  fright- 
ful distinctness,  the  manner  in  which  he  attended 
Daisy  at  table,  his  interest  in  her  health,  the  $1,000  she 
had  given  him,  her  quick  movement  to  prevent  my 
striking  him  when  his  answers  insulted  us  both.  Per- 
haps— but  I  will  not  dilate  on  the  things  that  came  to 
my  distorted  imagination.  It  was  enough  for  me  to 
put  a  detective  on  his  track.  I  engaged  Hazen,  and 
in  three  days  he  came  to  tell  me  that  a  white  woman 
had  passed  the  night  with  Hannibal  at  a  house  on 
Seventh  Avenue,  the  date  corresponding  with  the 
one  on  which  I  was  to  have  been  married  J" 


THE  GBEATEST  NOVBL.  313 

Gouger  listened  spellbound.  It  seemed  to  him 
that  the  most  exciting  chapter  of  this  weird  tale  was 
yet  to  be  written. 

"  If  I  had  lost  control  of  my  senses  before,"  pur- 
sued Roseleaf,  "  what  do  you  suppose  happened 
when  this  information  was  brought  to  me?  But 
then  I  found  an  excuse  for  my  beloved  one.  I  con- 
sidered her  the  victim  of  one  of  those  forms  of 
hypnotism  of  which  there  can  no  longer  be  any 
doubt.  She  could  not  have  gone  there  without  the 
demoniac  influence  of  a  stronger  personality.  He 
had  charmed  her  from  her  home  by  the  exercise  of 
diabolic  arts.  My  fury  was  entirely  for  him.  I 
sought  him  at  once,  only  to  learn  that  he  had  left 
the  city  a  few  days  before,  leaving  absolutely  no 
trace.  I  could  not  give  over  the  hunt,  however.  If 
he  was  on  the  earth  I  must  find  him  and  be  avenged 
for  the  wrong  he  had  done.  It  occurred  to  me  that 
an  influence  so  strong  as  he  had  exerted  would  not 
be  given  up.  Wherever  the  Ferns  had  gone,  he 
would  probably  be  found.  I  discovered  the  where- 
abouts of  the  family,  after  a  great  deal  of  effort,  and 
went  to  North  Carolina.  With  the  patience  of  a  dog 
and  the  cunning  of  a  fox  I  laid  in  wait  for  weeks, 
and  one  night  I  saw  and  heard  Daisy  Fern  and 
Hannibal  in  conversation!'" 

There  was  no  movement  on  the  part  of  the  critic. 
He  sat  as  still  as  a  block  of  stone, 

"  When  they  began  to  speak  I  could  have  sworn 
that  my  recent  guesses  were  correct  ones.  It  was  at 
about  the  hour  of  midnight,  and  she  had  crept 
quietly  and  alone  out  of  her  house  to  meet  this 


SlJt  A   BLACK.    ADO2J1S. 

Afri'.-r  But  the  first  dozen  sentences  that  were 
uttered  g«*/e  me  a  new  version  of  the  affair.  It  was 
by  no  mesmeric  power,  but  by  a  threat  of  injury  to 
her  father  that  this  fellow  held  her  under  bond.  I 
learned  that  Mr.  Fern  had  done  something — I  could 
not  then  tell  what — which  rendered  him  liable  to 
imprisonment.  I  learned,  also,  beyond  question — 
for  they  spok*  without  restraint,  supposing  them- 
selves alone — that,  whatever  the  purpose  of  Han- 
nibal when  Daisy  <rame  to  his  rooms  on  the  day  she 
was  to  have  been  married,  it  had  not  been  accom- 
plished. She  was  afraid  of  him,  but  only  for  her 
father's  sake.  Ana  I  discovered  beside,  though  not 
with  perfect  clearness,  that  a  promise  of  secrecy  ac- 
counted for  her  refusal  to  explain  the  cause  of  that 
absence  which  had  altered  the  whole  course  of  our 
lives. 

"I  have  said  I  had  watched  with  patience.  I 
determined  to  continue  my  watch  till  I  understood 
the  entire  situation.  About  once  a  week  they  met  in 
the  way  I  have  described,  and  as  the  next  date  was 
always  arranged  in  my  hearing  there  was  no  diffi- 
culty in  my  keeping  the  appointment.  In  the  mean- 
time I  learned  that  Hannibal  was  born  in  the  vicinity, 
that  he  was  living  a  hermit  life,  and  that  nobody 
knew  of  the  surreptitious  visits  he  was  paying  to 
Oakhurst.  Then  one  day  I  heard  that  Archie  was 
at  the  hotel,  and  thinking  it  time  that  I  let  him  into 
the  secret  I  went  there,  pretending  I  had  just  arrived 
from  the  north,  when  in  reality  I  had  been  boarding 
for  months  five  miles  away.  The  rest  you  know.  I 
was  enabled  to  prove  to  him  as  \vell  as  to  myself 


Tffii   GJUtATBST   SOTKJU  $1 

what  had  actually  happened.  Since  then  justice  has 
been  done  to  us  all." 

Mr.  Gouger  had  to  speak  at  last. 

11  To  you?"  he  asked.  "  Do  you  admit  that  all  this 
is  just  to  you  ?" 

"Without  doubt,"  said  Roseleaf.  "I  forfeited 
every  right  to  the  woman  I  had  insulted  by  my  sus- 
picions. There  are  certain  metals  that  can  only  be 
tried  by  fire.  I  was  placed  in  the  crucible,  and  found 
wanting." 

The  critic  shook  his  head  sagely. 

"You  are  a  regular  Roman  father  to  your  own 
delinquencies,"  he  answered.  "  But  tell  me  another 
thing.  Would  you  have  shot  Hannibal  if  Mr.  Weil 
and  Miss  Fern  had  not  made  their  appearance  ?" 

"  I  have  not  the  least  doubt  of  it.  He  was  in  my 
eyes  at  that  moment  a  crawling  adder,  whose  fangs 
were  liable  to  penetrate  the  flesh  of  some  one  if  he 
was  not  put  out  of  the  way.  But  I  am  more  than 
glad  I  was  spared  the  infliction  of  his  punish- 
ment." 

Gouger  wore  a  strange  look. 

"  And  yet  he  had  one  most  human  quality," 
said  he. 

"Yes,  I  admit  that  now,"  was  the  reply.  "In  his 
passionate,  barbaric  way,  he  certainly  loved.  When 
I  revise  my  novel  I  shall  try  to  deal  fairly  with 
him." 

"  And  you  will  finish  it  very  soon  now  ?" 

"  As  soon  as  possible." 

A  month  later  Lawrence  Gouger  received  at  his 
office  a  package  marked  on  the  outside,  "  From  Shir- 


31$  A   BLACK    ADONI8. 

ley  Roselcaf."  He  could  hardly  control  his  excite- 
ment until  he  had  untied  the  strings,  taken  off  the 
wrappings  and  disclosed  the  tin  box  inside.  It  was 
a  square  box,  just  the  right  size  for  manuscript  paper 
such  as  he  had  seen  Roseleaf  use,  and  the  heart  of 
the  enthusiast  beat  high  as  he  took  it  in  his  hands. 
A  jewel  case  filled  with  the  costliest  stones  would 
not  have  seemed  to  him  more  precious.  The  fame 
of  a  new  author  would  soon  resound  through  the 
world  !  Cutt  &  Slashem  would  have  the  greatest 
work  of  fiction  of  recent  years  in  their  next  cata- 
logue !  And  he,  Lawrence  Gouger,  would  be  given 
the  credit  of  discovering— one  might  almost  say  of 
inventing — this  wonder  ! 

Opening  the  box,  the  critic  looked  at  its  contents 
and  then  dropped  it  with  an  exclamation.  It  con- 
tained nothing  but  a  small  sealed  envelope  and  a 
heap  of  ashes  t 

Ashes !  Ashes  made  from  recently  burned 
paper  ! 

When  he  recovered  enough  to  open  the  envelope, 
this  note  was  found  within  : 

"  To  LAWHINCE  GOUGER,  ESQ.  :— DEAR  Snt :  Enclosed 
herewith  you  will  find  the  novel  for  which  you  have  waited 
so  long.  I  hope  it  will  please  you  in  all  respe«ts,  as  I  cer- 
tainly have  taken  the  greatest  pains  with  it. 

M  On  reading  it  over  I  thought  it  best  to  more  thoroughly 
disguise  the  personality  of  the  characters,  lest  any  of  them 
might  be  injured  by  its  publication.  There  was  the  happi- 
ness of  a  newly-made  bride  to  be  considered  ;  her  husband's 
ease  of  mind  ;  her  father's  serene  old  age ;  her  sister's 
feelings.  There  was  even  a  black  man  who  had  perhaps 


THE  GREATEST  NOVEL,  317 

suffered  enough,  and  a  critic  employed  by  a  large  publish- 
ing firm  who  would  not  like  bis  true  character  made  mani- 
fest in  type.  In  order  to  protect  these  people  I  have  ap- 
plied a  match  to  the  pages.  You  can  best  tell  whetner  I 
have  performed  the  work  too  well. 

"  If  this  novel  does  not  bring  me  the  fame  you  anticipate 
I  shall  not  much  care  ;  I  have  lost  some  of  my  ambitions. 
If  it  fails  to  add  to  my  fortune,  never  mind  ;  a  single  man 
has  no  great  need  of  wealth. 

"  I  go  to-night  on  board  a  steamer  which  sails  for  Europe 
at  daybreak,  When  you  read  this  I  shall  be  on  the  sea.  I 
have  secured  a  position  as  resident  correspondent  abroad 
for  one  of  the  great  newspapers.  Perhaps  I  never  shall 
return.  Truly  your  friend,  S.  R." 

"The  idiot  r  cried  the  reader,  as  he  finished  per- 
using this  letter.  "The  imbecile!  Was  there  ever 
such  a  fool  born  on  this  earth  !" 

Then  he  apostrophised  the  neap  of  ashes  that  lay  in 
the  box  before  him. 

"  There  never  was  and  never  will  be  so  great  a  work 
of  fiction  as  you  were  yesterday  !  And  yet  a  little 
touch  of  flame,  and  all  was  extinguished  !  How  like 
you  were  to  man  !  Let  him  have  the  brain  of  a 
Shakespeare,  and  a  pound  weight  falling  on  his  skull 
ends  everything. 

"  There  was  a  flood  in  Hungary  last  week,  in  which 
a  thousand  people  were  drowned.  There  was  an 
earthquake  in  Peru  where  five  hundred  perished.  A 
vessel  went  down  off  the  Caroline  Islands.  Taken  all 
together,  they  did  not  equal  to  this  world  your  loss. 

"  The  poet  knew  what  he  was  saying:  *  Great  wits 
are  sure  to  madness  near  allied/  Oh,  to  think  that 


ol5  A  BLACK   ADOXIS. 

a  mind  that  could  execute  your  thrilling  pages  knew 
no  more  than  to  destroy  them  ! 

"I  will  not  cast  you,  sublime  ashes,  to  the  winds 
of  heaven  !  I  will  keep  you  reverently,  as  one  pre- 
serves the  cloak  of  a  great  man,  or  the  bones  of  a 
mastodon.  Behold,  I  close  you  again  in  your 
covers,  where  the  eye  of  no  mortal  shall  henceforth 
behold  you." 

With  the  words  the  disappointed  critic  performed 
the  action.  And  to  this  day  visitors  to  his  room 
read  with  wonder  the  inscription  he  has  placed  on 
the  box : 

"  The  greatest  novel  that  ever  was  written? 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

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